West County Students to Participate in Anne Arundel Spelling Bee

Thirty-two area students will prepare to show off their spelling skills at the 25th annual Anne Arundel County Spelling Bee, including several from schools in the Odenton, Crofton and Severn areas. 

Eighteen public school students, 13 private school students, and one home-schooled student will vie to become the county champion, according to a press release.

They includes students from Crofton Middle School, Arundel Middle School, Meade Middle School, MacArthur Middle School, and Old Mill Middle Schools North and South. Students from School of the Incarnation and Annapolis Area Christian School will also take part. 

The winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC, to compete in the 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee from May 28-30.

There will be prizes for other top spellers as well, including monetary awards from the 21st Century Education Foundation, Encyclopaedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster reference books, gift certificates, plaques, and a trophy for the winner’s school.

More than 1,500 students competed in their school’s spelling bee for the right to advance to the county competition.

The 25th annual Anne Arundel County Spelling Bee event begins at 10 a.m. on Feb. 23 in the Board Room of the Parham Building, located at 2644 Riva Rd. in Annapolis.

Local participants in this year’s bee are:

• Alyssa Hall, Grade 6, Annapolis Area Christian School
• Katelyn Shibilski, Grade 7, Arundel Middle School
• Katie Sullivan, Grade 7, Crofton Middle School
• Bryan Hess, Grade 7, MacArthur Middle School
• Promise Ohanyerenwa, Grade 8, Meade Middle School
• James Novak, Grade 8, Old Mill Middle School North
• An Thai, Grade 8, Old Mill Middle School South
• Michael Howerton, Grade 6, School of the Incarnation

Click here for the full list of participants.