Great Salt Bay Community School fifth-grader Mica Houghton prepares to spell a word during the school spelling bee Thursday, Jan. 26. Houghton would go on to win the bee the following day. (Maia Zewert photo)
With the correct spelling of the word “marooned,” fifth-grader Mica Houghton secured his victory in the Great Salt Bay Community School spelling bee Friday, Jan. 27.
The spelling bee began the day before, with Houghton one of 12 students in grades five through eight competing for the title. The bee took place in the GSB gym in front of the competitors’ classmates and parents.
Participating in the bee were fifth-graders Mitchell Straus, Houghton, and Nick Russ; sixth-graders Ava Nery, Kaylin Lizotte, and Lilly Taylor; seventh-graders Julia Palmer, Cedar Cannon, and Andrew Lyndaker; and eighth-graders Connor Burnham, Camden LeBel, and Gracee Taylor.
GSB sixth-grade teacher Liz Norton moderated the bee. Norton read and used each word in a sentence before asking the student to spell it. Students were asked to spell words that included banana, invisible, and fuddy-duddy.
Students were eliminated when they incorrectly spelled a word. The field gradually dwindled to Houghton and seventh-graders Cedar Cannon and Julia Palmer, but the school day came to an end before a winner could be declared.
Students at Great Salt Bay Community School wave signs in support of their friends and classmates during the GSB spelling bee Thursday, Jan. 26. (Maia Zewert photo)
Houghton, Cannon, and Palmer completed the bee the following day, with Houghton emerging as the victor, Cannon the runner-up, and Palmer taking third place.
Houghton and Cannon will go on to compete in the Lincoln County Spelling Bee, which will take place at Bristol Consolidated School at 4 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 7.
