Addison Champion of Crest Middle School won this year's county Spelling Bee. She previously won the 2018 Bee during her time at Springmore Elementary.
After twelve or so rounds of competition and a back-and-forth dogfight with James Welsh of North Elementary, Champion spelled fido to win the final round and ferret for good measure as the championship word.
"I was happy to receive the final word," we had just worked on it this morning," said Champion.
Sixteen contestants spelled their way through the first round with words such as cascade, dreadlocks, and cinderella. After several more rounds, the spellers were narrowed down to Addison Champion of Crest Middle, Ethan VanDyke of Kings Mountain Intermediate, and James Welsh of North Elementary.
"This year's Bee was exhilarating, intense, and was truly entertaining from my perspective as I watched our county's top minds compete," said Dr. Brian Hunnell, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. “The efforts of our students were simply brilliant.”
The Bee participants received prizes from The Star’s Newspaper in Education program and a Martha Mason Award from the CCS Educational Foundation. The Mason Award includes a $50 cash prize and was initiated by Yeeva Cheng, a three-time Star Spelling bee winner herself, to recognize Miss Mason’s determination and perseverance.
Other participants, all spelling champions from their schools, were:
- Blakely Bundon, Bethware Elementary
- Dallin Lott, Boiling Springs Elementary
- Lillie Dean, Burns Middle
- Cody McNeilly, Casar Elementary
- Landan Goad, Cleveland Innovation
- Yeimi Flores–Martinez, East Elementary
- Eli Hughes, Fallston Elementary
- Raven Hicks, Graham Elementary
- James Rasmussen, Grover Elementary
- Dariya Woods, James Love Elementary
- Sawyer Witherspoon, Jefferson Elementary
- Ethan VanDyke, Kings Mountain Intermediate
- Elijah Propst, Kings Mountain Middle
- Ian Padgett, Marion Elementary
- James Welsh, North Elementary
- Aaliyah Thompson, Shelby Intermediate
- Marin Dominguez, Shelby Middle
- Caleb Marlowe, Springmore Elementary
- Julia Easler, Township Three Elementary
- Jaxson Robbins, Union Elementary
- Rylie Harvley, Washington Elementary
- Alana Parker, West Elementary
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