By Abigail W. Adams
Semi-finalists in Eddy School’s spelling bee proudly display their certificates in Edgecomb Jan. 26. Two semi-finalists from each grade competed in the school-wide spelling bee and earned a certificate for their achievement. (Abigail Adams photo) |
Semifinalists from grades one through six at Edgecomb Eddy School gathered in the cafeteria to compete in the school-wide spelling bee Monday, Jan. 26. After nine rounds with increasingly difficult words, fourth-grader Nathalie Paulino was the last student standing.
She secured her title as champion of the school-wide spelling bee with the correct spelling of the word brilliant.
“This feels good and weird and awesome,” Paulino said. “I’m surprised that I won.”
Two students from each grade earned their spot on the stage through competitions in their respective grades.
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Fourth graders Nathalie Paulino (left) and Ty Gogolinski were the two finalists in Edgecomb Eddy School’s school-wide spelling bee Jan. 26. Paulino won the competition in the tenth round with the correct spelling of “brilliant.” (Abigail Adams photo) |
Allister Edgecomb and Ross Gaffney represented grade one. Emma Castonia and Abbie Clark represented grade two. Catherine Clifford and Matthew Dickson represented grade three. Nathalie Paulino and Ty Gogolinski represented grade four. Arden Carleton and Jake Kelley represented grade five. Ava Carmolli and Meghan Clifford represented grade six.
“You’ve all worked hard to get here,” Edgecomb Eddy School Principal Lisa Clarke told the students.
Students were given age-appropriate words to spell, with each round becoming increasingly more difficult. First-graders correctly spelled yes and gum in the first round with sixth-graders correctly spelling binoculars and faculty.
With four students from the second, fourth, and fifth grade still vying for the title in the sixth round, Nancy Rose, spelling bee mistress of ceremonies, increased the difficulty of words by a full grade level.
By the ninth round, the competition was between fourth-graders Paulino and Gogolinski. With Gogolinski stumbling on traverse, Paulino only needed to spell one more word correctly to secure the championship. In the 10th round, she succeeded with the word brilliant.
Paulino said abandon was the hardest word she had to spell in the spelling bee and that peanut was her favorite word. Gogolinski said he felt good about making it to the final round. All students received a certificate for their accomplishment in making it to the school-wide spelling bee.
Sixth-graders Ava Carmolli and Meghan Clifford will represent the Eddy School at the Lincoln County Spelling Bee for grades six, seven, and eight at Great Salt Bay Community School in Damariscotta Feb. 10.
