Highland Elementary Spelling Bee Champion!

Today was the spelling bee at Highland Elementary for all fourth, fifth and sixth graders. There were actually three spelling bees taking place. The students were separated into three groups (A,B, & C). Group A used the hardest words, group B used the medium words, and group C used the easier words. Students were put into each group based on how well they did on a written test earlier in the month. Jacob was placed in group A. As daunting of a challenge as it was, he stepped up to it (with a little help and encouragement from his mom).

We got a list of 300 words to study a couple weeks ago and we started at it. I gave him written tests, oral tests, and he also just reviewed the words on his own. There were a few words that he really struggled to get but in the end he had a fairly good handle on most of them. Some of the bigger words were: chaparral, abhorrence, juxtaposition, gubernatorial, valetudinarian, etc. He learned those fairly quickly. The hardest part for him was remembering where there was double s’s and c’s in words (ie. commissary, assessment, accommodate). Also, the “i before e rule,” which didn’t seem to hold true on most of his words, became a little tricky (heifer, heirloom). When he left the house this morning he was a nervous wreck. I was too. I can’t help but want him to do well but at the same time feel accomplished no matter how he did. After all, he did learn nearly 300 new words.

The spelling bee started at 9:30 and Jake was #24. There were a total of 50 kids in group A, mostly 5th and 6th graders. He was cute though and kept a smile on his face the whole time. He spelled 14 words correctly before becoming the champion. I will admit he did get a few easy words but those were the ones we didn’t study as much so I was still a little nervous. Here are the words in the order he received them: enthusiastic, opinion, fierce, catalog, gopher, agronomy, deficiency, indictment, financier, hullabaloo, harmonica, glucose, euphoric, and the winning words was unconstitutional. When it was down to him and one other boy he got “glucose” correct. The other kid then had to spell “euphoric” and got it incorrect. Jacob had to spell it correctly, which he did, and then spell “unconstitutional” for the win.

He was all smiles. He could barely get through his last word he was so excited. He knew he had it as long as he got through that last word. I was so darn proud I couldn’t stand it. Initially when I asked him to sign up for the spelling bee he didn’t really want to do it. I told him if he signed up and ended up winning I would give him $20. I certainly did not think he would be winning. I guess that shows me! I am out $20 now. 🙂 More than anything though, I am glad he was able to gain such a great amount of confidence doing this, not to mention both he and I learned a lot of new words! Way to go Jake!

Here is Jacob spelling one of his words.

Here is Jacob along with the 2nd and 3rd place winners from group A.

Here is Jacob along with the 1st place winners from group B and group C (both of which are 6th graders!)