Queen Creek Unified School District (QCUSD) hosted its districtwide annual spelling bee Jan. 18 at the Queen Creek Performing Arts Center. This year, over 30 students from 13 schools participated.
In the competition, participants are given a word from a pre-selected list covering various subjects such as literature, science, geography and more. They have the option to ask for the word's definition, have it used in a sentence, or request its pronunciation before spelling it.
A group of selected judges are present to determine the correctness of each spelling. If the contestant spells the word correctly, they proceed on to the next round. If they spell the word incorrectly, they are eliminated.
In the event of a tie, additional words may be provided to determine the ultimate winner. Tie-breakers continue until one champion emerges.
The top three contestants will then proceed to the Regional Spelling Bee Competition.
This year’s QCUSD Spelling Bee winners are:
- First place - Brandon L. from Newell Barney Junior High School.
- Second place - Brooklyn S. from Queen Creek Junior High School.
- Third place - Zackary R. from Newell Barney Junior High School.
First-place winner Brandon has been in previous QCUSD Spelling Bees and feels a great sense of accomplishment for finally placing in the top three.
“I studied almost an hour a day in preparation for the spelling bee,” said Brandon. “I practiced a lot with Zack (third place winner).”
The top three winners will proceed to the regional competition, which will be at Highland High School in Gilbert on Friday, Feb. 16 at 9 a.m.
