Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Winners of the annual Spelling Bee contest held at Cumberland County Public Schools were recognized at the March 7 meeting of the Cumberland School Board. The Scripps National Spelling Bee, started in 1925, is the nation’s largest and longest-running educational promotion. It is sponsored by the E. W. Scripps Company. Local competitions are co-sponsored by newspapers, such as the Richmond Times-Dispatch, or other high-profile community organizations and businesses. 

The spelling bee was established to “help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts, and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives.” To participate in the contest, students must be under 16 years of age, be enrolled in 8th grade or below, and attend a school which has officially enrolled in the program. 

Students who participated in the Spelling Bee include the following: 

1st Grade: Mathias Manuel (winner) and TypRod Skipper (runner-up) 

2nd Grade: Ryley Justice (winner) and Jackson Conti (runner-up) 

3rd Grade: Gabriel Roberts (winner) and Kennadi Moss (runner-up) 

4th Grade: Sirrano Torres Trent (winner) and Kennedi Mawyer (runner-up) 

5th Grade: Sophia Paras (winner) and Jayden Leonard (runner-up) 

6th Grade: Jayden Copeland (winner) and Mattie Layne (runner-up) 

7th Grade: Audrey Dickstein (winner) and Daryn Woodson-Trent (runner-up) 

8th Grade: Elana Salamo (winner) and Gideon Stone (runner-up) 

Eighth grader Elana Salamo was the division winner of the Spelling Bee and fifth grader Sophia Paras was the runner-up. Both of them were recognized at the March 28 meeting of the School Board.