Sixth-grader Elli Schelemanow bested 22 other participants in the annual Robert Fowler/Byron-Bergen Grades 6-8 and Buffalo Evening News Spelling Bee held on December 22. Schelemanow now represents Byron-Bergen in the run for regional representation at The Scripps National Spelling Bee.
In early Februrary, Schelemanow will have to take a written test to determine her eligibility for the regional spelling bee. That competition, The Western New York Oral Final, will take place on Sunday, March 13 at 1:30 p.m. at the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society.
Runners-up this year are Byron-Bergen seventh-grader Joshua Swapceinski and eighth-grader Garrett Swinter. The competition put all the students through their paces, with eight challenging rounds and scores of demanding words before a champion emerged.
Teacher Andrew McNeil moderated the competition; with instructors Charlene Kelly, Laurie Penepent and Diana Walther acting as judges.
Byron-Bergen’s exceptional spelling contestants:
•Grade 6 – Corey Abdella, Madison Burke, Sadie Cook, Grace Huhn, Elli Schelemanow, Alex Toal, Ella Van Valkenburg, Hallie Wade and Corden Zimmerman.
•Grade 7 – Julietta Doyle, Josh Fleming, Gavin Lewis, John Mercovich, Alaura Rehwaldt, Sarah Streeter and Josh Swapceinski.
•Grade 8 – Siomara Caballero, Alex Dean, Cambria Kinkelaar, Ethan Ray, Garrett Swinter, Justice Towne and Grant Williams.
Byron-Bergen’s Jr./Sr. High School Interim Principal Patrick McGee congratulated Shelemanow, Swapceinski, Swinter and all the participants. “Our schools are proud to have Elli represent us, and I’m confident she will do a great job,” he said. “All our kids did impressive work with very difficult spelling challenges.”
McGee also wished to thank all the teachers at the Elementary School and Junior HS for their support, “especially Jason Blom and Elizabeth Findley and the sixth-grade team.”
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