![Spelling Bee Season Update]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1741116115/oakhillday/vletzdmtatnzez8bj9mt/IMG_1206.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1741116115/oakhillday/vletzdmtatnzez8bj9mt/IMG_1206.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1741116115/oakhillday/vletzdmtatnzez8bj9mt/IMG_1206.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1741116115/oakhillday/vletzdmtatnzez8bj9mt/IMG_1206.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1741116115/oakhillday/vletzdmtatnzez8bj9mt/IMG_1206.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1741116115/oakhillday/vletzdmtatnzez8bj9mt/IMG_1206.jpg","width":2200}])
Our Oakhill Spelling Bee season wrapped up on Saturday, March 1, when Lucia Peterson (8th grade) competed in the final round of the Mid-Continent Public Library Spelling Bee and placed in the top 9! Well done, Lucia!
Oakhill 3rd-8th grade students have the opportunity to compete to be the Oakhill Day School Spelling Bee Champion each year. The season begins in September when we kick-off by preparing for classroom spelling bees. Oakhill has a membership to Scripps National Spelling Bee, which provides us with classroom, school, and champion study materials and procedures each year. By registering with Scripps, we ensure that our school champion has an opportunity to compete to be the local regional champion, which secures a spot in Washington, D.C. for the National Spelling Bee.
Our students begin by studying grade-level appropriate words, furnished by Scripps, each fall. In October, Oakhill teachers hold classroom spelling bees and the winners from each classroom move on to compete in the Oakhill Day School Spelling Bee in November. This year, 12 spellers from 3rd-8th grade competed for the title. After 2.5 hours, 20 rounds, and 111 words, Lucia Peterson was declared our champion.
Lucia’s next step was to compete in the online semifinal spelling bee with other local school champions in mid-February. This online test had a time limit of 30 minutes and included 50 spelling and vocabulary questions, some of which were “off-list." Lucia scored in the top 1/3, which secured her a spot in the final round of the Mid-Continent Public Library Spelling Bee.
Last Saturday, March 1, Lucia competed in the final bee with 34 other competitors from Jackson, Clay, and Platte County schools. Lucia competed in 7 rounds of the competition and represented Oakhill very well. This championship bee included difficult and tricky words right from the start! During the first two rounds, almost half of the competitors were eliminated. By Lucia’s final round, only 9 students were remaining with Lucia being the 7th runner up. We are very proud of Lucia’s dedication, perseverance, and hard work during this spelling season. Oakhill students always do well in the final bee, securing a spot in the top 10 each time we have competed in this final round. Stay tuned for more bee updates next school year!