2012 Spelling Bee
March 8, 2012, Jared Ward, 7th grader from Albert R. Lyman Middle School in San Juan District, made a repeat as top speller after a competitive thirty rounds in the annual Region Spelling Bee. Jared prepared for this Bee since last year’s title by studying thousands of words and hoping to come back next year for a three-peat with a year’s hard work and study.
Jared started the first round spelling llama, breezed through words like fandango, pumpernickel, libretto, and rhinoceros, and topped Nathalie Reay by correcting spelling fibula. According to the rules of the competition Jared then was required to spell a championship word, ciliary, to clinch first place. The Bee brought together spellers from Carbon, Emery, Grand, San Juan Districts plus Pinnacle Canyon Academy. The 6th round thinned the original field of 15 to 5 excellent spellers who went six more rounds without a mistake. Round 15 then narrowed the competition to two spellers who went head to head until Jared finally bested Nathalie in the 29th round and earned his title in round 30 with the championship word.
Nathalie Reay an 8th grader from Monticello High School took second place. Third place went to Kevin Park from Helen M. Knight (HMK) school in Grand County who competed against his twin brother who had beaten him in the District Bee.
Sponsored by the Southeast Education Service Center, this year’s Region Bee was held at Green River High. Thanks to Larry Davis, Principal of Emery High, who pronounced the Bee words and Theresa Wilson and Johnna Boyack who served as judges. The Region Bee is a preliminary competition in the Scripps National Spelling Bee held during Bee Week 2012, May 27-June 1 in Washington D.C.
As first place speller, Jared received an all-expense paid trip for two to Maryland and Washington D.C. to compete in the National Bee. He also was awarded a $50 Louis Sugarman Award and Webster’s Third New International Dictionary. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place spellers received a year’s subscription to Encylopaedia Brittannica Online. In addition, 2nd and 3rd place winners received a $20 Amazon Gift certificate.
The top three District spellers grades 4 through 8 from Carbon, Emery, Grand and San Juan School Districts as well as Pinnacle Canyon Academy advanced to the Region Bee from bees held in their local schools earlier this year.
Grand spellers came from HMK: Teddy and Kevin Park 5th graders, and Cody Gatlin a 6th grader.
Emery District sent Tyrell Shumway (8th, Green River), and Riata Christiansen (6th) and Aubree Justice (5th) from Ferron Elementary.
Competing from Carbon District were Aubrey Fausett (5th), Ceairrah Warner (5th), and James Bryner (4th) all from Creekview.
San Juan District spellers included Jared Ward (7h) and Noah Kemner (7th) from Albert R. Lyman Middle School, and Nathalie (8th, Monticello High School).
Pinnacle Academy participants were Jared Brandt (6th), Macy Morrill (7th) and Isaac Finley (7th).
The Scripps Bee is the nation’s largest and longest-running educational promotion, administered on a not-for-profit basis by The E.W. Scripps Company and sponsors in the United States, American Samoa, Canada, China, Europe, Ghana, Guam, Jamaica, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, South Korea, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Bee’s purpose is to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts, and develop correct English usage that will help t hem all their lives.
The Louisville Courier-Journal started the event with nine contestants in 1925. In 1941 Scripps assumed sponsorship of the program. There was no Scripps National Spelling Bee during the World War II years of 1943, 1944, and 1945. Co-champions were declared in 1950, 1957, and 1962. Five of the six most recent national champions were public school students. This year 71 spellers have previously taken the stage in Washington, D.C., including three four-year repeaters.