Wilkey fourth grader wins regional Deaf and Hard of Hearing Spelling Bee

spelling-bee-winner-12-11
spelling-bee-winner-12-11

A fourth grade Wilkey Elementary School student recently won the regional Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Spelling Bee.

Participating in a spelling bee can be a nerve-inducing event. Imagine, though, not being able to hear the words you were asked to spell. Raelynn Sweeris recently took on that challenge, and came away in first place at the spelling bee.

She will now compete at the state DHH Spelling Bee in March.

Tamara Maddox, a Wilkey first grader, also competed for the first time and did very well.

During the spelling bee, words are both spoken and signed. Students can ask for the words to be repeated or used in a sentence, just like a regular spelling bee, according to Jessica Bernard, Grayson County Schools teacher for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Students use a dry erase board, marker, and eraser to spell then show their work to event judges.

Previous Grayson County winner Stephenie Miller was one of the few high school students asked to assist with judging.  Stephenie was a first-place winner at the middle school level, and went on to take second place at state.

(Photo: front, l – r: Raelynn Sweeris, Tamara Maddox; back row: Stephenie Miller and district DHH teacher Jessica Bernard)

Grayson County Schools