Category Archives: Spelling Bee

Solano County speller takes the top prize – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

A fourth-grader and one of the smallest contenders, James Maravilla, 8, a student at Federal Terrace Elementary School in Vallejo, confidently spelled “vengeance.”

Facing off against James, Diego Gonzalez, 12, a sixth-grader at Callison Elementary School in Vacaville, then stumbled on the word “masquerade.”

At about 7:45 p.m., in the sixth round, one hour and 45 minutes after the 2018 Solano County Elementary Spelling Bee started, word pronouncer Dave McCallum of Vacaville, a well-known KUIC-FM personality and former Vacaville Unified trustee, then declared James as the top elementary speller in the county, prompting applause from families, friends, relatives and leaders from the Solano County Office of Education, sponsor of the 42nd annual event.

Source: Solano County Speller

Vallejo, Vacaville students earn top spots at Solano County Spelling Bee – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

James Maravilla, 8, a fourth-grader at Federal Terrace Elementary School in Vallejo earned first place in the 2018 Solano County Elementary Spelling Bee Tuesday night in the Nelson Community Center in Suisun City.

Diego Gonzalez, 12, a sixth-grader at Callison Elementary School in Vacaville, came in second.

With their wins, topping some 50 other spellers in grades four to six, they will represent Solano County at the California State Spelling Bee Championship May 12 at the San Joaquin County Office of Education in Stockton.

Source: Vallejo, Vacaville students earn top spots at Solano County Spelling Bee

S-U-C-C-E-S-S: 42nd annual Solano County Spelling Bee crowns new champs – Daily Republic

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By Amy Maginnis-Honey

James Maravilla left the Joseph A. Nelson Community Center Tuesday with a hard-earned trophy after besting 45 other fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders in the 42nd annual Solano County Spelling Bee.

The fourth-grader at Federal Terrace Elementary School in Vallejo wasn’t nervous about the words from spellmaster Dave McCallum. It was the size of the standing-room only crowd that concerned him the most.

“It was kind of nerve-wracking and shocking,” James said after the event concluded.

Source: S-U-C-C-E-S-S: 42nd annual Solano County Spelling Bee crowns new champs

Solano County’s elementary spellers set to face off Tuesday – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Young spelling wizards, including several from Vacaville, will convene Tuesday in Suisun City for the 42nd annual Solano County Elementary School Spelling Bee.

The free event, open to fourth- through sixth-grade students in county schools, public and private, begins at 6 p.m. in the Joseph A. Nelson Community Center, 611 Village Drive.

Nearly 50 schools will send their best spellers to participate, including, from Vacaville (a partial list), Angelo Crosby, a sixth-grader at Fairmont Charter School; Hannah Trinh, a fifth-grader at Kairos Public School Vacaville Academy; Rebecca Amar, a fourth-grader at Cambridge Elementary; Su Tyler, a fifth-grader at Sierra Vista K-8; Kennedy Jackson, a sixth-grader at Cooper Elementary; Ximena Capella-Leggett, a sixth-grader at Padan Elementary; Rebecca Flaum, a fifth-grader at Ernest Kimme Charter Academy; Diego Gonzalez, a sixth-grader at Callison Elementary; and Nathan Schittl, a fifth-grader at Heritage Peak Charter School.

Annual spelling bee remains a big hit in Vacaville – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

They gathered Wednesday for the annual elementary and middle school spell-off in Vacaville, once again occasionally fidgeting, squirming, rolling their eyes and even using their palms and fingers to write out words. Generally, no sweat was detected during the nearly four-hour event.

In the end, at this year’s version of the Grace B. Powell Citywide Spelling Bee, Elizabeth Dibb-Islas, 11, a sixth-grader in the ACE program at Hemlock Elementary School, came out on top, besting 47 other students.

After 17 rounds — at about 8:10 p.m., two hours after the competition began and to the relief of all on and offstage — she correctly and confidently spelled “flexibility” in the nearly full Catwalk Theatre at Will C. Wood High School. Dibb-Islas, earned $100, a plaque, and bragging rights as the top elementary-level speller.

Source: Annual spelling bee remains a big hit in Vacaville

Dueling spellers take top prize at citywide spelling bee – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

They gathered Wednesday for an annual spell-off in Vacaville, once again occasionally fidgeting, squirming, rolling their eyes and even using their palms and fingers to write out words.

In the end, at this year’s version of the Grace B. Powell Citywide Spelling Bee, Elizabeth Dibb-Islas, 11, a sixth-grader in the ACE program at Hemlock Elementary School, came out on top.

After 17 rounds, she correctly spelled “flexibility” in the nearly full Catwalk Theatre at Will C. Wood High School. Dibb-Islas, earned $100, a plaque, and bragging rights as the top elementary-level speller.

The middle school winner is Ellison Domingo, 13, an eighth-grader at Notre Dame School.

After 27 rounds, he too won $100 and a plaque for correctly spelling “somnambulist.”

Dibb-Islas and Domingo automatically qualify for the 42nd Annual Solano County Elementary School Spelling Bee March 6 at the Nelson Community Center in Suisun City.

Source: Dueling spellers take top prize at citywide spelling bee

Vallejo students top county spelling bee – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Call it the luck of the draw, but David Whitwell correctly spelled “interrupt,” smiling at his success, and Amid Brock Jr. stumbled on “neuropathy,” arguably, a tougher word, then word pronouncer Ken Scarberry declared David the winner of the 2017 Solano County Elementary School Spelling Bee.

As first- and second-place finishers of the 41st annual event, held Tuesday night at the Nelson Community Center in Suisun City, the boys, both students in Vallejo City Unified schools, will next test their spelling mettle at the state championship, May 13, at the San Joaquin County Office of Education in Stockton.

Source: Vallejo students top county spelling bee

After 40 rounds plus, more than c-a-p-a-b-l-e – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Young students who gathered Wednesday for an annual spell-off in Vacaville were seen, by turns, fidgeting, squirming, rolling their eyes and even using their palms and fingers to write out words, silent testimony to the following question: How do you solve a problem like the English language?

In the end, at the 2017 Grace B. Powell Citywide Spelling Bee, only one of 48 elementary students, Orchard sixth-grader Caitlin Peck, and one of 26 middle school students, Vacaville Christian eighth-grader Caitlin Sweany, were remotely able to answer the question through 40 or more rounds each, one word at a time, from any of the several different languages that comprise ever-evolving modern English, a hallmark of one of the world’s most common and sometimes frustrating languages.

Source: After 40 rounds plus, more than c-a-p-a-b-l-e

Vallejo sixth-grader grabs second consecutive county spelling championship – Times Herald

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By Chris Riley

It was a sweet French wine that helped sixth-grader Gabriella Pasami capture her second consecutive Solano County Spelling Bee Championship on Monday night. No, she wasn’t partaking, but “Sauterne” was the winning word.

It was apparent that the final word gave Gabriella some concern, but as the definition was read, a slight head nod and small grin reassured her familiarity with the vocabulary.

Source: Vallejo sixth-grader grabs second consecutive county spelling championship

Top spellers to gather Monday at county bee – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Will March 7 be a landmark day for Vacaville’s top elementary-school speller, Notre Dame sixth-grader Ellison Domingo?

Will he be hailed, after probably more than two dozen rounds, as the No. 1 speller at the county bee Monday, when the 40th annual Solano County Elementary School Spelling Bee ends at the Joseph A. Nelson Community Center in Suisun City?

The event, open to students countywide in grades four to six, from either public or private schools, begins at 6 p.m. in the 611 Village Drive center.

The county competition is an oral contest. District staff, school staff, and the contestant’s family are welcome to attend the event, said Ken Scarberry, a spokesman for the bee.

Source: Top spellers to gather Monday at county bee

County spelling bee set for March 7 – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Will Vacaville’s top elementary-school speller, Notre Dame sixth-grader Ellison Domingo, come out on top at the county bee?

We will know March 7, when the 40th annual Solano County Elementary School Spelling Bee ends at the Joseph A. Nelson Community Center in Suisun City.

The event, open to students countywide in grades four to six, from either public or private schools, begins at 6 p.m. in the 611 Village Drive center.

The county competition is an oral contest. District staff, school staff, and the contestant’s family are welcome to attend the event, said Ken Scarberry, a spokesman for the bee.

via County spelling bee set for March 7.