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Winners of the annual Cumberland Spelling Bee contest held at Cumberland County Public Schools were recognized at the March 6 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 and won in grade-level competition in the Spelling Bee included the following: 

1st Grade

Aubrey Mealy
Carleigh Pryor (Runner-up) 

2nd Grade

Egypt Lambert
Roran Lawson (Runner-up) 

3rd Grade

Londynn Thompson
Caileigh Winbush (Runner-up) 

4th Grade

Jeremiah Williams
Gunner McDaniel (Runner-up) 

5th Grade

James Dufrain
Caleb Peterson (Runner-up) 

6th Grade

Sofiah Paras
Alaina McDaniel (Runner-up) 

7th Grade

Caleb Hopper
Cameron Langston (Runner-up) 

8th Grade

Sean Fitz
Ja’Twaun Liggon (Runner-up)

Sixth grader Sophia Paras was the overall winner of the Cumberland Spelling Bee and fifth grader James Dufrain was the runner-up. Sophia went on to the Richmond Regional Spelling Bee, held on March 12 at the Richmond Speedway. She made it to the 5th round.