On Wednesday night, January 29th, Dorchester School District 4 held its annual district spelling bee at Woodland High School. The event brought together top spellers from Clay Hill Elementary, Williams Memorial Elementary, Harleyville Elementary, and Woodland Middle School. Each school’s top three winners earned the opportunity to compete for the prestigious district championship. The participants included Aliahna Singleton (CHES), Bentleigh Behlin (CHES), Teigan Davids (CHES), Jordan Majette (HES), Presley Ward (HES), Zayden Gilliam (HES), Damon Anderson (WMES), Jason Infinger (WMES), McKenzie Taylor (WMES), John Donato (WMS), Sebastian Trower (WMS), and Trey'Von Miller (WMS).
The evening began with a warm welcome, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and introductions of the esteemed judges: Elijah DeLee, Dr. Robin Kurz, and Shelissa Bowman. Marsha Nix-Singleton served as the spelling bee pronouncer, setting the stage for a fair and precise competition. Before the official rounds commenced, she carefully reviewed the rules and procedures, highlighting their importance as the competition’s champion would move on to compete at higher levels in South Carolina. Precision in rule enforcement is crucial to maintaining the integrity of the competition, ensuring fairness, and preparing students for the rigor of future challenges.
A practice round allowed participants to ease into the competition, giving each speller a chance to familiarize themselves with the format before the real test began. Once the official rounds started, the competition was fierce. The first round was flawless, with every contestant successfully advancing. However, as the rounds progressed, the field began to narrow, and by the eighth round, only the top competitors remained.
In the end, reigning champion John Donato once again secured his title as the DD4 Spelling Bee Champion. Following closely, Sebastian Trower earned the 1st runner-up position, and Jason Infinger finished as the 2nd runner-up. Their dedication and hard work were evident, as was the impressive effort displayed by all participants.
A special thank you goes out to Corey Prentiss, Chief Academic Officer, and her dedicated team, including Sylvia Wight (Secondary Curriculum Coordinator), Tricia Delice (Elementary Curriculum Coordinator), Devane Trigiani (HES Assistant Principal), Latorsha Bryant (WMS Assistant Principal), Kim Hartzog (CHES Assistant Principal), Natalie Pandora (WMES Literacy Coach), Catherine August (HES Literacy Coach), Jill Spearman (WMS Librarian), and Marsha Nix-Singleton (WMS 7th Grade ELA Teacher). Their hard work in preparing students, organizing the event, and ensuring a seamless experience was instrumental to the success of the competition.
The district also extends its gratitude to the parents, teachers, and supporters who attended the event. Their encouragement provided the competitors with motivation and a sense of pride. Dorchester School District 4 is incredibly proud of these talented and courageous students who showcased their spelling skills. Their dedication to academic excellence continues to shine, and we look forward to seeing John Donato represent DD4 at the next level of competition. Congratulations to all!