From left are Darius Collins (grade 8), Altadeña Middle School; and Penelope Williams (grade 8), Pueblo Middle School.
Top spellers from across the Kyrene Unified School District competed in-person for the first time in two years at the Kyrene School District Spelling Bee on Jan. 27, officials there say.
Congratulations are in order for District Champion Darius Collins, an 8th grade student at Altadeña Middle School.
After 14 highly competitive rounds, Collins correctly spelled flinders and then the championship word cache to clinch the title, according to a press release.
The 2nd place winner was Penelope Williams, an 8th-grade student at Pueblo Middle School. Collins and Williams will both compete in the Maricopa County Regional Bee on February 12, and they won’t be representing Kyrene alone.
This year, Kyrene is eligible to send its top five spellers to the regional bee, and each of these outstanding students will compete next month:
- Darius Collins (grade 8), Altadeña Middle School
- Penelope Williams (grade 8), Pueblo Middle School
- Ben Lyon (grade 8), Aprende Middle School
- Remington Catana (grade 6), Kyrene Traditional Academy
- Lilee Ramirez (grade 5), Kyrene del Cielo Elementary School
A total of 26 Kyrene spellers competed in the Bee after winning their individual school spelling bees. A limited number of guests were invited to attend, to cheer on the spellers.
