Jimison wins Regional Spelling Bee
COUNTY AND REGIONAL WINNER — Brianna Jimison, eighth grader at Alexander County Schools’ Virtual Academy Middle School, won the Regional Spelling Bee in Charlotte on March 21, after having first won the Alexander County Spelling Bee in February.
Twenty-two students representing Alexander County’s elementary, middle, and virtual schools were invited to compete in February for the top honor of Spelling Bee Champion. Brianna Jimison, Virtual Academy student, won the competition with Madison Hennessee, West Alexander Middle School seventh grade student, placing second.
Two advance to Regional; Jimison wins
Brianna Jimison and Madison Hennessee advanced to the Regional Spelling Bee at the Carolina Panthers stadium on Sunday, March 21. The competition went 20 rounds with Jimison winning the regional event by correctly spelling “interrelate.”
Jimison will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in June.
“We wish her the best of luck!” said Jacob Lail, Principal of West Alexander Middle School.
Madison Henessee, a WAMS seventh grader, was the 2021 County Bee Runner-up.
County Bee details
For the County bee, due to COVID-19 restrictions, students were read 25 randomly selected words from the 2021 National Spelling Bee District Pronouncers Guide. Students had the opportunity to request a definition, sentence, part of speech, language(s) of origin, and alternate pronunciation(s). Students wrote each word. This was repeated with all student participants. After all students completed the written test, two judges scored the spellings. Central Office director Jessica Anderson coordinated the event.
The school winners who advanced to the county spelling bee are listed below.
• Bethlehem Elementary: Alaina Manasco and Adisson Mayberry.
• East Alexander Middle School: Karsyn Williams and Joseph Sturgill.
• Ellendale Elementary: Destini Brown and Macie Roberts.
• Hiddenite Elementary: Caleb Keller and Holden Vick.
• Stony Point Elementary: David Torres-Alvarez and Cashton Ratchford.
• Sugar Loaf Elementary: Lilly Zirkle and Brianna Donahue.
• Taylorsville Elementary: Clara Puckett and Kurtis Burroughs.
• Virtual Academy Elementary: Mary Cather-ine Mikeal and Miranda Locklear.
• Virtual Academy Middle: Brianna Jimison and Hallie Smith.
• West Alexander Middle: Carter Payne and Madison Hennessee.
• Wittenburg Elementary: Sophia Evertson and Angel Alvarez-Cruz.
