SE Valley Times

Isabelle Garcia, an eighth-grade student from Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School, has secured her second consecutive victory as the District Spelling Bee Champion. The competition took place on January 16, 2025, at Kyrene Altadeña Middle School. After seven rounds and 108 words, Garcia successfully spelled "saeta" to win the championship.

In the final round, Garcia correctly spelled "rupicolous" before moving on to the championship word. The event was marked by sportsmanship, with participants exchanging supportive gestures when others were eliminated.

Kateri Peterson, a seventh-grader from Kyrene Altadeña Middle School, claimed second place. There was a tie for third place among other students. All four will advance to the Maricopa County Regional Bee in February. The top spellers representing Kyrene are:

- Isabelle Garcia (grade 8), Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School

- Kateri Peterson (grade 7), Kyrene Altadeña Middle School

- Bree Crusoe (grade 6), Kyrene de las Manitas Innovation Academy

- Alejandro Santhanam (grade 5), Kyrene de los Lagos Dual Language Academy

A total of 27 students participated in the bee after winning their respective school competitions. They faced challenging words such as "cephalopod," "onomatopoeia," and "buccal." The district extended congratulations to all participants and wished those advancing further success.

The Maricopa County Regional Bee is scheduled for February 15, 2025, at Franklin Accelerated Academy/Brimhall in Mesa, Arizona. The top two competitors will move on to the Arizona State Spelling Bee for a chance to compete at the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee.