“Gunnysack” was the winning word for 2013 Read To Bee winner Amari King, a 6th grade student from Thurman Francis Arts Academy. A large section of the theatre in Patterson Park Community Center was filled with his family and friends, including his teacher, cheering him on. He was a crowd favorite, showing not only calm under pressure, but a great deal of humor while on the stage.
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That is not to say that the contest was without tension. “The students take this very seriously,” said Tammy Walker, Read To Succeed event coordinator. The twenty-three contestants represented Rutherford County, Murfreesboro City, and three private schools as the winner in their sixth grade spelling bee. Each participant received a certificate for representing their school. Each school also sent an alternate, ready to step in if the winner was unable to fulfill their duties at the Bee.
Read To Bee is hosted by Read To Succeed each year in an effort to show that a focus on literacy should extend beyond elementary school. Lisa Mitchell, Executive Director of Read To Succeed, was quick to say that Read To Bee is one of her favorite events of the year. “It is so encouraging to watch these students put literacy first in their lives and compete in this event. I enjoy watching the audience almost as much as the spellers as the parents and teachers are on the edge of their seats, the younger siblings are watching and learning, and the grandparents are beaming with pride," Mitchell stated.
After ten rounds and some very difficult words such as pituitary, tutelage, timorously, and jambalaya were spelled, King along with Gray Johnson, of Smyrna Middle School, were the final two standing. It would take 3 more rounds before King could spell two correct words to take the win over Johnson.
This year’s judges included Diane Mackey from Rutherford County Schools, who explained the rules of the Scripps National Bees carefully before the contest began. These are the same rules strictly followed at 7th and 8th grade bees, whose winners go on to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Other judges were county commissioner Chantho Sourinho, and Don Clayton of the Ingram Content Group, both members of the Read To Succeed Executive Board. Clayton was particularly empathetic with contestants, as he is the 2012 Read To Succeed Celebrity Bee winner. “I was definitely having flash backs”, joked Clayton, “especially when the word mezzanine came up”. Pronouncer Lynn Watson may have had the most stressful job at the event, but shared with the audience that he had been practicing for days, as his wife would attest. “She is now a master speller herself!”
King took home a $75 gift card and Johnson a $25 gift card plus both boys were given a state coin book, courtesy of Mid-South Bank. King’s teacher, Sherrie Fair, was rewarded for her efforts with a gift certificate donated by The Learning Circle. Johnson proudly wore his spelling bee medal around his neck as he posed for photos with his family and teacher, Cammie Anderson. The two boys were not the only ones to be congratulated. Parents and teachers throughout the theatre could be heard saying to all that participated “you did a great job—we are so proud of you!”
To see MORE photos including each of the participants, visit the Read To Succeed Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/#!/readtosucceedTN/posts/561957977183037.
About Read To Succeed:
Read To Succeed is the community partnership created to promote literacy in Rutherford County. The objective of this collaboration between schools, area agencies, and businesses is to support local programming and raise awareness about the importance of literacy. Read To Succeed is a non-profit community initiative supported by businesses, foundations, grants, and in-kind donations. For more information, please visit our website at www.readtosucceed.org.
Source:
Kristina Brown,
Read To Succeed
