The competition was fierce at the 30th Annual Wakulla District Spelling Bee held this past Friday, January 13, at Shadeville Elementary School.  The Bee, sponsored by the Wakulla News, was open to students in grades 4th through 8th from Crawfordville Elementary School, Medart Elementary School, Shadeville Elementary School, Riversprings Middle School, Wakulla Middle School, COAST Charter School, and home-schooled students from Wakulla County.  Each individual school held classroom-level competitions, and the winners from each class advanced on to compete at their grade level.  The top two winners from each grade level then went on to compete at the District Bee.

After 14 nail-biting rounds, Trevor Waters, a 7th grader from Riversprings Middle School, correctly spelled the word "expiate" and was proclaimed the First Place Champion of the event.  For the first time ever, two students, Shelbi Barrow from Wakulla Middle School and Brandon Wagner from Riversprings Middle School, tied for First Runner Up.  A runoff between Barrow and Wagner was then held, which Barrow won by spelling the word "precipitate" correctly.

Waters was presented with a First Place trophy from Mr. David Miller, Superintendent of Schools, and a dictionary from Keith Blackmar of the Wakulla News.  Barrow was presented with a First Runner Up trophy from Mr. David Miller.  All 30 contestants were each presented with a medallion for competing at the District level.

Trevor Waters will now go on to represent Wakulla County at the Regional level.

Organizers of the event would like to thank Penny Bedell, a reading teacher from Wakulla High School, who served as the pronouncer for the event. 

Thanks also go out to Beth O'Donnell, Sue Keel, and Keith Blackmar who served as  judges for the bee. 

Organizers would also like to recognize Jean Pepe from Crawfordville Elementary, Sharon Kerce and Christina Earnest from Shadeville Elementary, Charlotte Hoover from Medart Elementary, Jerri Jump from Wakulla Middle, Janet Weber from Riversprings Middle, Susan Flournoy from COAST, and Charlene Morgan for serving as School Coordinators for the event.

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