Spring Branch ISD Spelling Bee Results

Sixth-grader Sarah Hwang (left) and seventh-grader Patrick LeClair (right) finished first and second, respectively, in the annual Spring Branch ISD Spelling Bee.

Sarah Hwang, a Memorial Middle School sixth-grader, and Patrick LeClair, a Spring Forest Middle School seventh-grader, finished first and second, respectively, in the annual Spring Branch ISD Spelling Bee.

The spelling competition was conducted on Feb. 22 at Westchester Academy for International Studies.

Hwang won the district winner’s trophy after spelling correctly through 10 rounds of words, and then nailing both the words “Scandinavian” and “rabble-rouser” for district judges to be crowned best in SBISD.

The final round words were dictionary choices rather than the assigned word lists where a student might be aided by memory cues and advance practice.

“I was nervous,” said Hwang, who has been a Spelling Bee participant two years in a row. “I did not know what words they might be, and I didn’t know the words but broke them down to make spelling them easier.”

The Memorial Middle sixth-grader is a big fan of reading and writing. As a Spelling Bee winner, she received a trophy and Kindle Fire tablet. Hwang will now advance to the annual Houston Public Media regional Spelling Bee later this spring.

District Runner-up Patrick LeClair had one of the spelling bee’s best presentation styles, which he attributes to Spring Forest Middle theater and choir training. He was runner-up in the middle school’s spelling bee and is also a two-year Spelling Bee participant.

Twenty-three elementary and middle schools sent winners and runner-ups to the Westchester Academy auditorium for the recent morning spell-off contest.

Roberta Smiley, a volunteer and former National Spelling Bee finalist, served as the pronouncer. She was joined by three judges – Sunny Bell-de la Garza, Gifted and Talented Program facilitator; Julie Hummel, SBISD Professional Development coordinator; and Patricia Kassir, Personalized Learning coordinator.

The Spelling Bee was sponsored by the Advanced Academic Studies Department. Amy Ellingson is department facilitator.

Campus Winners and Runners-Up

Elementary Schools

Buffalo Creek Elementary – Josefina Colato, Winner; Orle Hekimian, Runner-up
Campus Coordinator: David Rodriguez
Bunker Hill Elementary – Joshua Tolentino, Winner; Anuj Kothari, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Jill Melancon
Cedar Brook Elementary – Ariel Robles, Winner*; June Lim, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Stella Aramayo
Edgewood Elementary – Nicolas Cepeda, Winner*; Emily Salgado, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Barbara Dunn
Frostwood Elementary – Winston Wu, Winner; Kristina Baltic, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Peggy Gioacchini
Hunters Creek Elementary – Natalie Jones, Winner; Kylee Pham, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Deana Ratnala and Jenny Robertson
Meadow Wood Elementary – Harrison Brooks**; Jonathan Barnes, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Kay Taylor and Leigh Ann Brooks
Memorial Drive Elementary – Cole Hartung, Winner**; Luke Jackson*, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Amy Lindsay
Nottingham Elementary – Kevin Nguyen, Winner; Madisyn Chu, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Stacey Zubair
Pine Shadows Elementary – Jamil Guzman, Winner; Madeleine Blasingame, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Maria De Los Santos
Ridgecrest Elementary – Alan Caro, Winner; Pamela Ramos, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Ana Avendano
Shadow Oaks Elementary – Sara Moussa, Winner*; Anthony Murillo, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Anne Marie Thomeer
Spring Branch Elementary – Angel Mendoza, Winner; Steven Urbina, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Allison Burt
Spring Branch Academic Institute – Yousif Al-Jadir, Winner
Campus Coordinator: Becky Reese and Ashlee McCauley
Terrace Elementary – Sumit Sahoo, Winner; Mia Yetiv, Runner-Up*
Campus Coordinator: Veronica Evetts and Jackie Short
Valley Oaks Elementary – Clinton Woodmansee, Winner; Juliana Siwek, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Becky Reese
Westwood Elementary – Diego Pantoja, Winner; Kyle Doan*, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: HaLam Tran
Wilchester Elementary – Sheza Khan, Winner; Haram Park, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Jean Cataldo

Middle Schools

Cornerstone Academy – Sydney Krenz*, Winner; Macy Hempe, Runner-Up**
Campus Coordinator: Holly Smetek
Memorial Middle – Sarah Hwang*, Winner; Mitchell Gorodetsky, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Lisa Suchart
Spring Branch Academic Institute – Srijan Velamuri, Winner**
Campus Coordinator: Becky Reese and Ashlee McCauley
Spring Branch Middle – Hannah Krenz, Winner****; Tabitha Koch, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Sandra Hardie
Spring Forest Middle – Jillian Harris, Winner*: Patrick LeClair, Runner-Up*
Campus Coordinator: Terri Cyphers
Westchester Academy – Daniel Rampersaud, Winner**; Joshua Chin, Runner-Up
Campus Coordinator: Patty Carr

*Notes previous participation in the SBISD Spelling Bee