7th and 8th Grade Spelling Bee

by Nathalie Patangan and Vanessa Harrison

“Spell pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.”

“Uh, p… n… u…”

Then the bell rings.

“But wait—what on Earth are you even saying?” Some students in grades 7–8 participated in an event called the Spelling Bee, an activity for students who spell, as stated in the name. The Spelling Bee took place at South High School in the cafeteria during periods 1–3 on Thursday, January 8, 2026.

To prepare, students were sent home with a list of words to study and learn how to spell. The top spellers from each class were chosen to participate in a school-wide spelling bee. They were evaluated on certain words during the first round, and as the rounds progressed, the students were given more difficult words.

A total of 30 participants competed and worked to the best of their abilities to spell to their hearts’ content.

The competition lasted three rounds before a spelling bee champion was finally announced. The first Spelling Bee winner was Amelia Jack (Grade 7), with the championship word being “synopsis.” As the Spelling Bee champion of South High School, she will now be moving on to regionals to compete against even more talented student spellers.