MCPS Spelling Bee

BMS students win MCPS spelling bee!

On January 12, 2010, Bluestone Middle School eighth grader Stephanie Dalanon won the division spelling bee for Mecklenburg County Public Schools. The runner-up was Bluestone Middle School eighth grader Wendy Chen. Stephanie won the county spelling bee in round ten by spelling the word “cauliflower” correctly. As the division winner, Stephanie received a Webster's Dictionary from the Richmond Times Dispatch and a certificate. She will compete at the regional spelling bee in Richmond on March 6, 2010.

The MCPS spelling bee was held at Park View Middle School and was led by Tracey Rogers, coordinator of gifted education for Mecklenburg County. Patricia Hester, reading specialist at Clarksville Elementary, served as the pronouncer throughout the ten rounds. Darlene Cox, language arts coordinator, Heather Tuck, social studies coordinator, and Laura Pittard, math coordinator, served as judges for the spelling bee. Carole Nelson, acting superintendent for MCPS, Mona Rainey, BMS principal, and Faye Bruce, PVMS principal, were also in attendance.

In order to participate in the county spelling bee, students from Park View Middle School and Bluestone Middle School first competed at the school level. The school level coordinators were Steve Whitten, Michelle Jones, Ashley Payne, and Lyndsay Morrison. These teachers organized the school competitions and led practices with the top ten spellers from each school who were chosen to compete in the county spelling bee. The school winners were Kimberly Solomon from Park View Middle School and Stephanie Dalanon from Bluestone Middle School.

The following students represented Park View Middle School at the county spelling bee: Kimberly Solomon (school winner); Rebecca Smith (school runner-up); Chris Mitchell; Jessica Grose; Kelly Cookson; Tajunae Pettus; Jonte Minor; and Devon Baskerville.

The following students represented Bluestone Middle School at the county spelling bee: Stephanie Dalanon (division winner and school winner); Arett Barnard (school runner-up); Emily Spencer; Brittany Stevenson; Dylan Miles; Wendy Chen (division runner-up); Ashley Rutledge; Kara Smith; Donovan Mosley; and Aaron Moody.

Mr. Whitten (BMS spelling team coach), Stephanie Dalanon (division and school winner), Wendy Chen (division runner-up), and Ms. Jones (BMS spelling team coach)

Scenes from the MCPS spelling bee....

Congrats to the BMS spelling team.  You all did a great job!