Un-BEE-lievable

Brentwood, NY (October 2018)—The Brentwood Union Free School District’s bilingual students in grades four through eight competed in the District’s third annual NYS Spanish Spelling Bee, held last June. Rising to the top of the competition were students from the District’s East Middle School.

Determination and hard-work were the factors that led to three of East Middle School’s students advancing in the competition and receiving high honors recognition. Three of East Middle School’s students—sixth grader Diana Gonzalez, seventh grader Mirna Vasquez, and eighth grader Cecia Reyes—finished the competition as first place winners in their respective grades. Cecia was also recognized as the overall first place winner of the Brentwood School District Spanish Spelling Bee, and won an all-expense paid trip to the 8th Annual National Spanish Spelling Bee in San Antonio, Texas.

This competition goes far beyond a simple test of students’ capacity to memorize words. The students demonstrate their ability to decipher and understand pronunciation, etymology and position of diacritical marks on vocabulary words that will sequentially transfer into the English language. This unconventional approach supports the district in its mission to help and encourage students to perform at their highest level and to always seek to raise the bar on their own achievements.

For more information about the Brentwood Union Free School District, please visit the District’s website: http://www.brentwood.k12.ny.us/