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Thach, Grindle Win County Spelling Bees It took 17 rounds and the word “hustings” for Timothy Thach, below left, a fourth-grader from Airport Road Intermediate School, to be declared the winner of the Third and Fourth Grade Elmore County Spelling Bee on February 7. Holtville Elementary fourth-grader Hannah Daniel, below right, came in second place. A total of 12 participants competed in the school board meeting room, with Prattville Christian Academy (actually located in Elmore County) joining the contest for the first time. Each child had already won his or her school spelling bee, garnering them a place among the county’s top spellers. Representing Airport Road Intermediate School were third-grader Savannah James and fourth-grader Timothy Thach; from Eclectic Elementary were third-grader Kaylie Jarman and fourthgrader JeKarion Daniels; from Holtville
Elementary were third-grader Jordan Cutchens and fourth-grader Hannah Daniel; from Prattville Christian Academy were third-grader Hannah Cole and fourth-grader Hannah Tae; from Redland Elementary were third-grader Kaitlyn Castleberry and fourth-grader Patrick Connors; and from Wetumpka Elementary were third-grader Madison Green and fourth-grader Samantha Davis. Sixth-grader Zachary Grindle, a student at Wetumpka Middle School, was the winner of the Elmore County Spelling Bee for fifth- through eighth-grade students. This was the second consecutive year he won the county competition. In the 10th round Grindle correctly spelled “mootable” to finish in the top spot. Fayth Williams, an eighth-grader at Millbrook Middle, claimed the runner-up place. The State Spelling Bee Finals will be held March 8 in Birmingham.“I’m excited to go back, even though it’s a really long day,” said Grindle. Other fifth- through eighth-grade competitors were: Georgia Adams, seventh grade, and Michael Blake Jones, fifth grade, Eclectic Middle; Jake Davis, fifth grade, and Ashlyn Kemp, sixth grade, Prattville Christian; Haley Donovan, seventh grade, Wetumpka Middle; Alex Easley, fifth grade, and Chloe Jones, sixth
grade, Redland Elementary; Leah Rhodes, fifth grade, Millbrook Middle; and Kenneth Segarra, eighth grade, and Kendall Turrentine, sixth grade, Holtville Middle. Retired Elmore County superintendent Roberta Pilcher was the pronouncer for both Spelling Bees, while Elementary Curriculum Supervisor Glenda VanErmen served as coordinator. River Bank and Trust donated trophies for the winners and participants. (This article was written in collaboration with Peggy Blackburn, Wetumpka Herald.) Below from left are Elmore County fifth- through eighth-grade spelling bee runner-up Fayth Williams, county spelling bee coordinator Glenda VanErmen and spelling bee winner Zachary Grindle. (Photo by Peggy Blackburn)
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