(l-r) Sespe Super Spellers Damien Meza, Juan Orozco, and Summer Hurtado.

Can you spell audience? Well, Damian Meza certainly can! Audience was his winning word at the Sespe Elementary School Spelling Bee, the first milestone toward the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee. Sespe’s contest, held on January 10th, challenged 25 spellers through thirteen rounds, spelling difficult words like defiantly, eclipse, and laborious. The spellers took a written test to qualify for entrance into the bee and then studied their lists of 450 words in preparation for the epic mental battle. Runner up, Summer Hurtado, was tough competition throughout the bee, finally missing “replete” which allowed Meza to take the victory. Meza continues studying for the upcoming county bee to be held at the Universtiy of California, Channel Islands on March 3, 2012. Although only one speller per school is permitted to move on in the competition, Hurtado continues to study as well, in case Meza should be unable to compete. The competition will consist of a written test followed by an onstage contest for the top 50 qualifiers, the winner of which will compete at the National Spelling Bee in Washington DC, in May. All students and staff at Sespe wish Damian and Summer the best of luck.

Donna Wojciechowski is the School Spelling Bee Coordinator.