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Rockingham County School Students Prepare for County and Regional Spelling Bees

Congratulations to all of the participants in the 2009 Rockingham County Public School Spelling Bee. Twenty-six students from elementary and middle schools competed in 27 rounds, spelling a total of 131 words at Mountain View Elementary School. There were more than 200 people in attendance.

Bethany Depoy, a fifth grader from Pleasant Valley Elementary School, is the first place participant. She will compete in the Regional Bee.

2009 RCPS Winner Bethany DePoy, with her parents, Gina DePoy and Jimmy DePoy, after the county spelling bee

RCPS Finalists To Compete in Regional Bee Front row (left to right): Andrew Logsdon, David Shull, Bethany Depoy, Brandon Garcia, Travis Kirtley Back row (left to right): Andrew Lam, Mary Louise Johnston, Sophie Witmer, Laina Schumacher

Also participating in the Regional Bee are the students who took the next eight places:

Andrew Logsdon, 8th grade, Wilbur Pence Middle School
Andrew Lam, 8th grade, Montevideo Middle School
David Shull, 5th grade, Mountain View Elementary School
Sophie Witmer, 5th grade, Cub Run Elementary School
Mary Louise Johnston, 8th grade, J. Frank Hillyard Middle School
Travis Kirtley, 6th grade, J. Frank Hillyard Middle School
Laina Schumacher, 8th grade, Elkton Middle School
Brandon Garcia, 5th grade, Ottobine Elementary School

The above nine students will represent RCPS in the Regional Bee at noon on Saturday, March 7 in Skyline Middle School in Harrisonburg. The snow date will be noon on Saturday, March 14 at Skyline Middle School.

Thanks to the following students who also competed: Logan Shifflett, 6th grade, Elkton Middle School Ryan Berdeaux, 5th grade, Lacey Spring Elementary School Quentin Gray, 5th grade, South River Elementary School Mary Katherine Albertson, 5th grade, John C. Myers Elementary Hannah Craun, 5th grade, John Wayland Elementary School Breanna Munson, 8th grade, Montevideo Middle School Rachel Gilchrist, 7th grade, Wilbur Pence Middle School Liesl Hostetter,5th grade, Linville-Edom Elementary School Audra Koogler, 8th grade, J. Frank Hillyard Middle School Elexus Brooks, 5th grade, McGaheysville Elementary School Lindsay Smith, 8th grade, Elkton Middle School Lydia Hanson, 7th grade, Wilbur Pence Middle School Matthew Conklin, 5th grade, Peak View Elementary School Zachery Elliott, 5th grade, Elkton Middle School Sarra "B" Adam, 6th grade, Montevideo Middle School Brett Hankins, 5th grade, Fulks Run Elementary School Eva Lupanov, 5th grade, Plains Elementary School

All of the students listed here competed and won the spelling bee at their individual schools prior to participating at the county bee. Nine participants will compete in the Regional Bee from RCPS. All of the competitions lead to the national Scripps Spelling Bee which will be held in May 2009 in Washington, D.C. The Daily News-Record is a major sponsor of the spelling bee competition.

Thank you to the individuals who officiated at the County Spelling Bee. They are:

Johna McFarland - Moderator
Dr. Charlette McQuilken - Pronouncer
Judges - Lena Osborne, Fred Babbitt, Rebecca Hill-Shifflett
Helpers - Pam Dowrey, Sharon Martz, Sandy Cupp
Daily News-Record Representative – Faye Spitler

Becky Hill-Shifflett, Fred Babbitt, Lena Osborne	Sharon Martz, Pam Dowrey, and Sandy Cupp

Thanks to all of the spelling bee coordinators at each school for their work with the students.
Thanks to Debi Rhodes, Larry Bowman and the staff at Mountain View Elementary School for all of the accommodations for the event.

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Rockingham County Public Schools are again pleased to participate in the annual Spelling Bee competitions. Spelling bees at each elementary and middle school were held in January.

The next step in the process is the Regional Spelling Bee that leads to the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.  The Regional Bee is sponsored by the Daily News-Record.

Spelling Bee Coordinators for Rockingham County Schools:

Pam Dowrey, John Wayland Elem.                       
Martha Taylor, Elkton Middle
Stacy Holzberger, Wilbur Pence Middle           
Melissa Fox, Pleasant Valley Elem.
Susan Pollard, Ottobine Elem.                       
Cheryl Reynolds, Montevideo Middle
John Guengrich, Plains Elem.                                   
Peggy Simpson, Mt. View Elem.
Bea Crantz, Linville-Edom Elem.                       
Heather Smith, Lacey Spring Elem.
Jackie Dinsmore, Peak View Elem.                       
Sarah Hayward, South River Elem.
Donna Slye, McGaheysville Elem.                       
Kendra Molen, Fulks Run Elem.
Carol Getz, John C. Myers Elem.                       
Kari Miller, Cub Run Elem.           
Christopher Clymer-Kurtz and Kina Eaton, J. Frank Hillyard Middle

 

Dates for the Spelling Bee Competitions:

The Rockingham County Public Schools’ Spelling Bee will be held at Mountain View Elementary School on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009, at 7 p.m. Snow dates will be Feb. 16 and Feb. 18, 2009.  The Rockingham County Bee will serve as preliminary competition for the Regional Spelling Bee. 

The Regional Bee will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2009, at noon.  The snow date will be March 14, 2009 at noon.  It will be held at Skyline Middle School, one of the new schools in Harrisonburg City Schools.

The winner of the Regional Bee will represent the area in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. in May of 2009.

The spelling bees are open to the public, and there is no cost to attend. For information, contact Janet T. Wendelken, Spelling Bee Coordinator for RCPS, at 564-3218.

 

Rockingham County School’s Spelling Bee

Date:  Thursday, Feb.12, 2009
Time:  7 p.m.
Location: Mt. View Elementary School
Snow Dates:  Feb. 16 and Feb. 18, 2009

 

Regional Spelling Bee

Date:  Saturday, March 7, 2009
Time:  noon
Location:  Skyline Middle School
Snow Date: March 14, 2009