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photo by Melynda Sides
Marieclare Shirey a sixth–grader from Briarwood Christian School and Matteo Macaluso an eighth–grader from Oak Mountain Middle School spelled their way to the top of the Shelby County Spelling Bee Jan. 22. Shirey placed first with Macaluso coming in second.
Sixth-grader from Briarwood wins spelling bee
Published Friday, January 22, 2010
Fifteen middle school students from Shelby County schools competed in the countywide spelling bee Jan. 22 at the Shelby County Board of Education.
Students competing in the Shelby County Spelling Bee were (L–R): Heather Thompson, Evangel Classical Christian; Drew Nesbitt, Calera Middle; Shaina Cid, Columbiana Middle; Marieclare Shirey, Briarwood Christian (first place); Matteo Macaluso, Oak Mountain Middle School (second place); Jensen Burnett, Thompson Sixth Grade Center; Will Jones, Joseph Bruno Montessori Academy; and Robert Mann, Westminster at Oak Mountain. Pictured on the back row (l-r) are: Stephanie Ponte, Calera High School (seventh grade); Cooper Vise, Thompson Middle; Logan Burnett, Riverchase Middle; Blake Odgers, Cornerstone Christian; Spenser Matthews, Vincent Middle; Evelyn Ann Fox, Chelsea Middle and Lucas Panzica, Our Lady of the Valley.
Superintendent Randy Fuller welcomed the students, many of them decked out in jackets with their school colors and emblems, and congratulated them on making it this far.
After going over the rules and a practice round to shake off the nerves, the bee’s pronouncer Scott Mohon read the spelling words aloud during the bee. Students were allowed to ask for the word’s definition, origin, how it’s used in a sentence, and alternate pronunciations.
The bee started at 9 a.m. with the word “forlorn” and lasted little over an hour. Students successfully spelled words such as mahi mahi, grotto, haiku, feldspar, and draconian, but missed others such as gondola, geode, and harmonica.
Marieclare Shirey, a 6th-grade student from Briarwood Christian School, Matteo Macaluso, in the 8th grade at Oak Mountain Middle School, and Robert Mann, a 7th-grader from Westminster at Oak Mountain School made it to the final round.
Shirey took first place by correctly spelling the championship word “noctograph.” Macaluso and Mann competed for second place, lasting through several rounds of words including podsnappery, phenologist, and pugilist. Macaluso won second place with the word “meniscus,” and shook hands with both Shirey and Mann after winning.
As parents snapped photos on their Blackberries and digital cameras, all of the students received certificates for their participation in the bee and the top two finalists received trophies.
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