First School Spelling Bee Completed

Champions Named At Eli Terry Elementary School

Fifty competitors competed last night in a spirited list of words that showed how well South Windsor students could spell. Three fifth grade students earned the right to compete in the finals scheduled for February 2011 for a chance to represent South Windsor in the National Spelling Bee in Washington DC in May of 2011. Currently 295 students from all South Windsor schools are scheduled to compete over the next five weeks.

Three separate grade level competitions are conducted at each school. Three winners are named in each grade and win a bee-yootiful trophy. Everyone gets a nice participation medal.

The grand champion was Halla Ali from 5th grade who also won third place in the fifth grade competition. Sairah Sheikh came in second and also won first place in the fifth grade competition. The final competitor moving to the finals is John Savola who won second place in the fifth grade competition.

One interesting fact is that the first place winner in fourth grade, Sara Donovan is home schooled and part of a home school cooperative which consists of about 25 students from South Windsor and East Hartford who eductate their children in a home school setting.

The South Windsor Spelling Bee is conducted by the South Windsor Community Foundation. Volunteers include members of the South Windsor Public Education Fund, South Windsor Junior Womens Club and a volunteer from the Monday Night Social Club / Special Olympics. The Rockville Bank Foundation is our signature sponsor funding approximately 50% of the cost of the spelling bees.

RESULTS - ELI TERRY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - THURSDAY OCTOBER 14, 2010

Playoff Champions
Champion - Halla Ali - 5th Grade
2nd Place - Sairah Sheikh - 5th Grade
3rd Place - John Savola 5th Grade

3rd Grade
1st Place - Sophia Chin
2nd Place - Shea Sullivan
3rd Place - Kylie Robinshaw

4th Grade
1st Place - Sara Donovan
2nd Place - Connor O'Meara
3rd Place - Ainsley Streeter

5th Grade
1st Place - Sairah Sheikh
2nd Place - John Savola
3rd Place - Halla Ali

Picture of Winners, South Windsor Community Foundation members, and Eli Terry Principal

Front Row – Left to Right
Halla Ali Eli Terry School Champion, John Savola - 3nd Place Winner,
Sairah Sheikh - 2nd Place Winner, Marilyn Sevick – Eli Terry Principal
Back Row – Left to Right
Cary Prague, Kevin McCann, Jan Snyder, Scott Andrusis,
Ralph Alexander, Liza Love, Linc Streeter
Photograph by Marietta St. Onge, St. Onge Portraits