Eighth-grader Benjamin Rodriguez takes 2015 title; Grades 3-6 top spellers also recognized
The champion and runner-up sparred back-and-forth, facing off over the words disaster, clumsiness, rapture, capacity, terminal, anxiously, offensive, hesitant, motivate, surviving, obedient, habitat, parachute, terrace and corral, until Butterfield-Odin Public High School (B-OHS) finally crowned the school’s third-annual Scripps National Spelling Bee (formerly the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee) champion. Eighth-grader Benjamin Rodriguez spelled “parachute,” and then “corral” to, yes, corral the Bee’s 2015 title.
Ending as runner-up was seventh-grader Laura Rodriguez, with eighth-grader Jennifer Garcia finishing third.
Last year’s winner, Kaliana Xayaphonesongkham, participated in the Bee in her final year of eligibility as an eighth-grader. The champion in the school’s inaugural Bee in 2013 was current freshmen Julie Saunders, winning then as a seventh-grade student speller.
Students in grades seven and eight participated in the Bee, held Wednesday afternoon, January 14, in the school’s big gym. The pronouncer was Dawn Johnson, high school English teacher, with Nathan Fast, high school English and ESL (English as a Second Language) instructor, serving as spelling judge.
As the first-place winner, Benjamin received $75 and a free one-year online subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica, courtesy of Scripps, and will advance to the South Central Service Cooperative Regional Spelling Bee, to be held in the Conference Center at South Central College in North Mankato on Tuesday, February 17, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The winner of the Regional Spelling Bee advances to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D. C., to be held the week of May 25-29. Laura received $50 as runner-up, while Jennifer was presented $25 for her third-place finish.
Special awards were additionally presented to seventh- and eighth-grade participants, based on Spelling Bee practice rounds.
These included:
* Spirit Awards – Ethan Sykes and Kylie Fisch, eighth grade and Kayla Torres, seventh grade.
* Sportsmanship Awards – Eighth-graders Cody Kaehler and Alex Knickrehm and seventh-grader Juan Morales.
* Most Improved Award – Eighth-grader Jennifer Garcia.
* Confidence and Poise Awards – Noah Wolle, eighth grade and Jennifer Perez, seventh grade.
* Best Enunciation of Letters Awards – Eighth-grader Kaliana Xayaphonesongkham and seventh-grader Vanessa Rodriguez.
* Facing Your Fears Awards – Devon Aguilar, eighth grade and Parker Friedrich, seventh grade.
* Vanessa Rodriguez was also presented a free one-year online subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica from Scripps.
Prior to the first word spelled in the Spelling Bee, the top spellers in grades three-through-six were presented certificates and checks for $25.
Those elementary spelling champs included:
* Third Grade – Kainyana Xayaphonesongkham.
* Fourth Grade – Lexia Sykes.
* Fifth Grade – Christian Phengduangdeth.
* Sixth Grade – Alma Rodriguez.
Awards were presented by Butterfield-Odin Public School Principal Barry Schmidt.
Seventh-grade participants included: Austin Bolte, Rylie DeBates, Jordan Dougherty, Susan Fast, Parker Friedrich, Kassandra Hagan, Alexander Hanson, Noah Hanson, Kevin Hernandez, Juan Morales, Jennifer Perez. Seth Pierson, Laura Rodriguez, Vanessa Rodriguez, Norely Sanchez, Kayla Torres, Tyler Wallert and Gia Zender.
Eighth-graders participating were: Devon Aguilar, Danny Sanchez, Haley Arreola, Kylie Fisch, Jennifer Garcia, Madyson Heffele, Cody Kaehler, Jordan Keldenich, Alex Knickrehm, Michael Nett, Benjamin Rodriguez, Ethan Sykes, Noah Wolle and Kaliana Xayaphonesongkham.
All Bee participants received a certificate and a small prize.
