Six students from Peterborough elementary schools spelled their way to prizes at the Rotary Club of Peterborough’s 12th annual spelling bee on Saturday (May 2) at Whetung Theatre at Fleming College.
Earlier this spring, thousands of students from grades 4 to 8 in schools across Peterborough County competed in qualifying spelling bees at their schools, with 120 top spellers competing in Saturday’s regional spelling bee championship.
The championship featured a junior division for students in grades 4 to 6 and an intermediate division for students in grades 7 and 8.
In the junior division, Verna Conlin Hanley from St. Anne Catholic Elementary School was the top speller, with Elise Stenko of Westmount Public School placing second and Daniel Casado of Monsignor O’Donoghue Catholic Elementary School coming in third.
In the intermediate division, Henry Sharpe from Adam Scott Intermediate Public School placed first for the second straight year, with Hudson Inglis of Kawartha Classical Christian School coming in second and Tyler Phillips of St. Teresa Catholic Elementary School — who placed second in last year’s competition — coming in third.
The top spellers won prizes that include a laser tag party from presenting sponsor Zap Attack Laser Tag, a nine-day Trent Excalibur Camp, a week at Camp Kawartha Environment Camp, bikes from Canadian Tire on Lansdowne Street, and lessons at the Art School of Peterborough.
The top spellers in each division also earned literacy bursaries for their schools, with $1,000 awarded for first place, $500 for second, and $250 for third.
With education and literacy one of Rotary International’s seven areas of focus, every year the Rotary Club of Peterborough distributes thousands of dollars in bursaries for literacy programs in participating schools.
“We believe that the spelling bee not only encourages literacy but also improves focus, communications, and public speaking skills,” reads a Rotary media release.
