The Richmond County School System district-wide spelling bees on Jan. 17 concluded with the recognition of first and second place winners from both elementary and middle school level competitions.
Elementary spelling bee winners
The elementary school spelling bee champion was fifth grader Peter Bao from C.T. Walker Magnet School, taking the victory in the 16th round with the words “astonish” and “attempt.”
First runner-up was fourth grader Ryker Cheatwood from Lamar-Milledge Elementary School.
Bao will compete in the regional spelling bee hosted by Georgia Association of Educators, joining Columbia County Schools’ district spelling bee champions Raghav Thumsi and Sara Daoud.
The regional competition will take place on Feb. 22 at Putnam County Middle School in Eatonton, Ga.
Cheatwood will compete in place of Bao at the regional bee if he is not able to attend.
“Everybody did a great job,” said Bao following the event.
Bao’s preparation process was to pace himself while studying the 15 page long word packet with approximately 415 words.
“I broke it into pieces, and I practiced a little bit every day,” he said.
He plans to put his win on display.
“I’m gonna get the trophy and put it in my room,” he said. “Because I’m very proud of it.”
As for Cheatwood, he expressed that he was grateful to have come in second place.
“It’s not about perfection, it’s not about being the winner…it’s about having fun, it’s about excellence,” he said.
Middle school spelling bee winners
A second spelling bee for middle schoolers followed the elementary bee on Jan. 17.
The district’s first place winner is eighth grader Talia Davis from Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School, who won after correctly spelling “lizard” and “frolic.”
The second place winner was named as seventh grader Jamyla Moss from Pine Hill Middle School.
Both will go on to compete in the regional competition on Feb. 22.
