By Lou Ann Vaught, LES APEX/Gifted Teacher
Fourth grader Keegan Carroll won the LES (Lakeland Elementary School) Spelling Bee last week by correctly spelling DEPENDABLE.
Keegan Carroll heard Dr. Ted Horrell say the final word “dependable” and immediately restated the word and spelled it correctly Friday to win the LES Spelling Bee. The victory moved him on to the next level of competition. Charity Carroll, Keegan’s mother embraced him with a huge hug and words of
congratulations. She stated that she is so proud of him.
While Keegan finished first, LES third grader Chloe Cleary was the runner-up. Chloe’s mother, Angela Brown, congratulated her daughter, saying she was proud of all the hours she put into practicing for the spelling bee.
There were 20 participants this year, 11 third graders and 9 fourth graders. The official pronouncer was Dr. Ted Horrell, Superintendent of the Lakeland School System. The Spelling Bee begins in November at Lakeland, when students first receive word lists to practice. There are classroom spelling bees, with the top finishers from each classroom moving on to the school spelling bee. School spelling bee winners go on to compete in a regional spelling bee, which, in turn, channels them into the Scripps National Spelling Bee, held each spring in Washington, DC.
Third Grade participants include: Ruby Baldridge, Johanna Bookas, Chloe Cleary, Mac Conaway, Blake Heinemier, Max Manrique, Everett Oberhansley, Banner Phelan, Owen Shao,Scarlett Shepherd, and Liam Reynolds.
Fourth Grade Participants include: Keegan Carroll, Cullen Cocroft, Kingston Ho, Scarlett Jones, Sloane Lemmons, Alejandro Trillo Malaver, Elli Miller, Corbin Stevens, Sophie Watkins.
Teachers Allie Morrow, Kristen Davis, Johnna Herbison, Amber Scott, Carrie Sutton, Tiffany Horsley, Tina David, and Lou Ann Vaught organized the spelling bee efforts at Lakeland Elementary School.
