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CMS Crowns Owen Schafer Spelling Bee Champion 2013

Eighth Grader Owen Schafer wins the CMS Spelling Bee by correctly spelling

"R-H-E-U-M-A-T-I-S-M"!

Granzer Hall at Coronado Middle School was filled with family and friends of contestants for the annual Spelling Bee.

The annual spelling bee at Coronado Middle School was Thursday, February 7, 2013 in Granzer Hall. Organized once again by teacher Kathy MacDonald, also known as “The Queen Bee”, the event had forty three participants from grades six through eight. Two students from each Humanities class are chosen, via a classroom spelling bee, to participate in the school wide bee.

Assistant Principal Karin Mellina pronounces a word for a contestant at the 2013 CMS Spelling Bee.

Assistant Principal Karin Mellina served as the word announcer while Kathleen Cotten, 7th grade Reading and Humanities teacher, Connie LeFevre, Librarian and Principal Dr. Jay Marquand acted as judges.

Spelling Bee Judges Dr. Jay Marquand, Connie LeFevre and Kathleen Cotten.

A member of the digital media class KCMS interviews spelling bee contestant Charlie Winns.

Members of the KCMS digital media class and representatives from the school’s award winning yearbook were also on hand to cover the bee. Grace Weisbrod, winner of the 2012 Spelling Bee was competing again this year.

The first round had words as diverse as could, factoid, cucumber and transfixed. Second round words included proposition, complexity, purification and satire. By the fifth round there were only seventeen contestants remaining and they were asked to spell words like faux, consignment and subconscious. The sixth round was tough, as thirteen contestants were eliminated. The seventh round had only four contestants.

As participants were eliminated, they received a certificate and hug from

the Queen Bee and left their numbers behind.

Friends show support for Tina Vo who had the best showing for a sixth grader, finishing third overall.

Eighth grader Leonora Naser-Saravia finished fourth, with sixth grader Tina Vo coming in an impressive third place. The eighth round had only two contestants left, last year’s champion Grace Weisbrod and fellow eighth grader Owen Schafer. Owen won the bee by spelling the word rheumatism.

CMS Spelling Bee Champion for 2013, Owen Schafer

Audience member Isabella Miller, a CMS seventh grader, said she enjoyed watching the spelling bee and added, “I think it is so stressful, but the kids in it do great!” Participant Charlie Winns said that being in the spelling be was fun and he enjoyed all of it. Contestant Shelby Pierson said, “It was very nerve racking.” Granzer Hall was filled with parents, family, and friends of those participating.
Here’s to a job well done by all the participants.