MOULTRIE – The Colquitt County Association of Educators (CCAE) held the annual Spelling Bee for Colquitt County School District students on Tuesday, February 4, at Southern Regional Technical College.

School-level winners from each elementary school, G.E.A.R., Willie J. Williams Middle School, and C.A. Gray Junior High participated in the Bee.

After thirteen rounds, three of them being two-word spell-off rounds, Jace Brown was declared the Colquitt County School District Spelling Bee Winner. Brown, a 5th grader at G.E.A.R.,  spelled “mourners” and then “tsunami” correctly to secure the title of Spelling Bee Winner. Kavien Lampkin, a 5th grader from Sunset Elementary, was runner-up this year.

The judges for the Bee were Jeff Horne, Lisa Lawson, and Ian Smith, with Brenda Arnold as the presiding official and Spelling Bee coordinator. Other officials who assisted included Lisa McLemore, Miley Rigsby, and Scott Turner. Dakota Cone was the caller/pronouncer for the Bee.

School Spelling Bee Winners

Makenzie Pina, Cox Elementary (school winner two consecutive years)

Reyna Ramos, Doerun  Elementary

Lexe Casteel, Funston Elementary

Jace Brown, G.E.A.R. Center

Henry Webb, C.A. Gray Junior High

Tram-Anh Nguyen,  Hamilton Elementary

Jordan Smith, Norman Park Elementary

Natalia Hernandez, J.M. Odom Elementary

Alexander Carrillo, Okapilco Elementary

Alexis McNeil, Stringfellow Elementary

Kavien Lampkin, Sunset Elementary (school runner-up previous year)

Trace Hiers, Willie J. Williams Middle

Maggie Clifton, R.B. Wright Elementary

School Alternates

Troy Jones, Cox Elementary

Xylah Sims, Doerun Elementary

Alan Cardenas, Funston Elementary

Callie Jones, G.E.A.R.

Layne Balland, C.A. Gray Junior High

Kayla Nguyen, Hamilton Elementary

Franky Sarabia Cabrera, Norman Park Elementary

Sara Garcia, J.M. Odom Elementary

William Thomas III, Okapilco Elementary

Carlie Haynes, Stringfellow Elementary

Zaila Beltran, Sunset Elementary

Jesus Molina, Willie J. Williams Middle

John Michael Horne, R.B. Wright Elementary