LAKE COUNTY — The Lake County Junior High Spelling Bee for seventh and eighth grades was held at Upper Lake Middle School on March 13. Asia Firebaugh, an eighth-grader from Middletown Middle School; Jessia Osborne, an eighth-grade student from Pomo School in Clearlake; and Noelani Urquiza, an eighth-grader from Terrace School in Lakeport will represent the county at this year”s California State Junior High Spelling Championship in San Rafael on May 12.
“Super Spellers” who participated in the competition include Angelina Acosta and Kristen Celli, both from Burns Valley School; Paul Johnson, East Lake School; Elisa Kim, Middletown Middle School; Mackenzie Law, Lower Lake Elementary; Roberto Lozano, Mountain Vista Middle School; Wroehnyn Milks, Lucerne Elementary; Kaylee O”Bryant, Upper Lake Middle School; Sam Price, East Lake School; Giovanni Sanchez, Terrace School; Zach Sneathen, Upper Lake Middle School; Weeden Wetmore, Lower Lake Elementary; and Kaylie Williams, Mountain Vista Middle School.
Burns Valley School student Charlie Burke also qualified but was unable to participate in the competition.
Elementary spelling bee
Principal Jill Falconer and staff at Terrace School in Lakeport hosted the Lake County Elementary Spelling Bee on March 20. In a competition between Lake County elementary students from grades four to six, the top two champions were Daymion Martinez, a fifth-grader at Lucerne Elementary; and Tyler Parrott, a sixth-grade student from Cobb Mountain Elementary. Martinez and Parrott will compete in the 2012 California State Elementary School Spelling Championship on April 21, at the San Joaquin County Office of Education in Stockton.
Spelling champs who also participated in the competition are: Sarah Alvior, Burns Valley; Rayven Baldwin-Riggs, East Lake; Hannah Barnett, Kelseyville Elementary; Meaghan Boykin, Terrace School; Allison Bryant, Kelseyville Elementary; Michael Comacho, Terrace; Allessandra Diaz, Coyote Valley Elementary; Helena Dougan, Lake County International Charter School; Reanne Egger, Minnie Cannon Elementary; Jason Gentle, Mountain Vista Middle School; Blair Hayes, Upper Lake Elementary; Vanessa Hughes, East Lake; Cheyenne Justice, Coyote Valley; Sean MacDonell, Lake County International Charter; Rachel Mavy, Pomo School; Aiden McAdon, Mountain Vista Middle School; Aleia Milano, Lower Lake Elementary; Leila Perez, Riviera Elementary; Tristin Tapia, Pomo School; Sara Vierra, Minnie Cannon; Lyndsay Wade, Upper Lake Elementary; Kaila Willard, Lucerne Elementary; and Madison Witt, Riviera Elementary.
Students who qualified but were unable to participate in the competition include Maria Salazar, Lower Lake Elementary; Savannah Vanmeter, Burns Valley School; and Chloe Ziegler, Cobb Elementary. Martinez, Parrott, Urquiza, Firebaugh and Osborne were each awarded a $25 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble.
The annual spelling competitions are coordinated by the Lake County Office of Education (LCOE). Master of Ceremonies and Spell Master for both of the Spelling Bees was Stephanie Wayment, education specialist at LCOE. The judges were Robin Totorica, Jan Bailey, Tracy Skeen and Tim Gill, also from LCOE.
