On Saturday, January 18th, Tucson Unified hosted its annual District Spelling Bee at the Howenstine Professional Learning Center.
Michelle Merrick, Academic Interventions Programs Manager, kicked off the event, welcoming Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Dr. Flori Huitt, Governing Board President Natalie Luna Rose, and other key district personnel. Their collective efforts helped to make this year’s district Bee a memorable event.
More than 50 family members, friends, principals and teachers cheered on their spellers with enthusiasm and support. Parents of a competing speller, who could not attend, viewed the Bee from Paris, France!
The audience watched eagerly, excited for the success of each speller. After nine rounds of spellers fielding words such as “conch” and many other words that do not “spell” the way they sound, Cleo Gelt, from Dodge Traditional Magnet Middle School, took the silver, and Adelaide Cabrera, from Fruchthendler Elementary School, won the gold. Both spellers will compete at the Pima County Bee at Canyon Del Oro High School on Saturday, February 15th at 10 am. The event is open to the public.
