On Tuesday evening, 12 Aiken County Public school students took the stage to compete in the district’s Scripps National Spelling Bee Finals.
The event held at the Amentum Center for Performing Arts brought together top spellers from across the district who advanced through their school-level competitions for a chance to earn the county title and move on to the next level of the competition.
After several intense rounds, Mikaela Sarmiento of Leavelle McCampell Middle School emerged as the District Champion.
When asked what it meant to her to represent her school at this level, Mikaela said, “It means a lot to me, but it’s also a lot to process.”
Carter Little of Jackson STEM Magnet middle school finished as the runner up and kept the competition close through the final moments.
The spelling bee was officiated by Ola Martin, an English teacher from South Aiken High School who guided students through each round of the competition.
The District Spelling Bee serves as a celebration of literacy and academic achievement while providing students with an opportunity to challenge themselves on a larger stage.
The top five spellers from each district have the chance to represent Aiken County Public Schools in the regional spelling bee being held at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on February 28. Those super spellers include District Spelling Bee champion Mikaela Sarmiento, runner up Carter Little, and our third through fifth-place winners Braxton Waldrop, Maduka Eneje, and Caroline Garcia.
Congratulations to School-Level Spelling Bee Winners, and our District Spelling Bee Champions!
Mikaela Sarmiento, Leavelle McCampell Middle; District Spelling Bee Winner
Carter Little, Jackson STEM Magnet Middle; District Spelling Bee Runner-Up
Braxton Waldrop, Highland Springs Middle; District Spelling Bee Third Place
Maduka Eneje, Kennedy Middle; District Spelling Bee Fourth Place
Caroline Garcia, Aiken Intermediate; District Spelling Bee Fifth Place
Jada Brown, Kennedy Middle
Elijah Gordon, Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle High
Darcy Major, North Augusta Middle
Jeevan Sanders, Paul Knox Middle
Trysten Torres, Schofield Middle
Christopher Vanderhoff, Redcliffe Elementary
Dorothea Viner, Highland Springs Middle
