Spelling Bee Produces Lots of Buzz

Story by Debra Anderson

After months of preparation, 13 eager and well-prepared students from the Potomac Conference nervously took the stage at the Fredericksburg (Va.) church to compete in the conference-wide Spelling Bee—the first time in at least 10 years since the conference-sponsored event was held.

Participants in grades 3–8 represented C. F. Richards Christian School in Staunton, Va.; Olney Adventist Preparatory School (Md.); Roanoke Adventist Christian School (Va.); Takoma Academy Preparatory School (TA Prep) in Takoma Park, Md.; and Tree of Life Christian Preparatory School in Fredericksburg, Va.

For six months, Janet Armstrong, associate education superintendent for the southern portion of Potomac Conference, and a team of principals met to plan the event. Principals Jacqueline Powell-Long of Roanoke Adventist Christian School; Drechelle McCray of TA Prep; Chris Simons of Olney Adventist Preparatory School; Brad Simmons of C.F. Richards Christian School; and Billy Wright of Tree of Life Christian School gathered to form plans as excitement built through the schools.

At the event, parents, siblings, teachers and principals waited anxiously for the students to begin spelling the words they’d been practicing for months.

Armstrong says, “It was obvious the students were well prepared, as it took more than 10 rounds before the first misspelling. Over 25 rounds were completed before two winners were declared.”

The first-place distinction was shared between students Dejagaye Brunell of Roanoke Adventist Christian School and Faye Legg of C. F. Richards Christian School. Daniel Majdi of Tree of Life Christian School received second place, and Jackson Passman, also from Roanoke, won third place.

Charles A. Tapp, Potomac Conference president, served as pronouncer at the Spelling Bee.