Newton County School System students will soon compete to determine who is the best speller in the county when they face off at the district Spelling Bee on Friday, Jan. 30 at 10 a.m. at Porter Performing Arts Center. Champions from elementary and middle schools in the district will compete in the competition. Students in grades third through eighth were eligible to participate in their school competitions. Should the school champion be unable to participate, the runner-up will serve as alternate and compete in the Bee to represent the school.
The school champions and alternates are as follows:
East Newton Elementary: Champion: Michaela Edwards, Alternate: Aria Bembridge
Fairview Elementary: Champion: Mcalister Sarsalejo, Alternate: Tristin Goodrum
Flint Hill Elementary: Champion Heaven Robinson, Alternate Bailey Golbourn
Heard-Mixon Elementary: Champion: Alana Stalling, Alternate Aden Slaughter
Live Oak Elementary: Champion Lailah Hood, Alternate: Aiza Sayeed
Livingston Elementary: Champion: Ivy Wise, Alternate: Kylan White
Mansfield Elementary: Champion: Asia Roy, Alternate: Charlie Shirah
Middle Ridge Elementary: Champion: Cali Wright, Alternate: Paxton Fletcher
Oak Hill Elementary: Champion Kylee Tate, Alternate: Naomi Worthy
Porterdale Elementary: Champion: Thamana Njungu, Alternate: Gisele Guerra
Rocky Plains Elementary: Champion: Cartier Jones, Alternate: Blake Michel
South Salem Elementary: Champion: Ricardo Martin, Alternate: Espyn Neal
West Newton Elementary: Champion: Danna Vargas, Alternate: Alessandra Maniscalco
Clements Middle: Champion: Maliah Chatman, Alternate: Israel Smith
Cousins Middle: Champion: Lily Walsh, Alternate: Kyler Mays
Indian Creek Middle: Champion: Stoney Yeager, Alternate: Ezekiel Brown
Liberty Middle: Champion: Cadyn Gray, Alternate: Landan Carter
Newton County STEAM Academy: Champion: Nolan McAllister, Alternate: Sophia McFarlane
Veterans Memorial Middle: Champion: Kimari Williams, Alternate: King Watts
“Academic competitions like the spelling bee reinforce essential literacy skills that are foundational to student success,” said Dr. Ashante Everett, assistant superintendent for teaching and learning. “Through this experience, students strengthen vocabulary development, language structure, and analytical thinking while applying their learning in an authentic, high-stakes academic setting. We commend each participant for the academic excellence and focus they demonstrate as they represent their schools.”
The winner and runner-up of the Newton County Schools’ Spelling Bee will represent the school district in the Region 5 Spelling Bee on Saturday, Feb. 28 at Edwards Middle School in Conyers, Ga.
