The Martin County School District held its 57th annual Lillian A. Dassori Elementary Spelling Bee on December 14, 2022. Mr. Willie Gore, retired MCSD assistant principal, Dr. Debra George, Coordinator of Title I, and Ms. Kyla Mericle, IPS Coach at Warfield Elementary School, served as judges in this year’s competition. Ms. Stephanie Susskind, Emmy award-winning journalist with WPTV News Channel 5, was the enunciator for the Bee.
Stellar spellers from all twelve of the District's elementary schools participated in seven rounds of competition. Contestants tackled the spelling of words such as "aardvark," "anathema," "celestial,” “wherewithal,” and "ipso facto."The winning word was "eschew."
The next step for the winner will be the Polk County/Regional Spelling Bee. The top 60 finalists from the Regional Spelling Bee will head to the Orange County Bee and then on to the National Spelling Bee.
Congratulations to the following winners:
· Olivia Priddy - First Place - SeaWind Elementary School
· Anthony Rivera - Second Place – Indiantown Middle School
· Gabrielle Vazquez-Torres - Third Place – Jensen Beach Elementary School
· Graeme Harrell - Fourth Place – Palm City Elementary School
· Annika Pres Nolan - Fifth Place - Bessey Creek Elementary School