LOVELOCK - Relying solely on their "mind's eye," and at times having just to "wing it," Pershing County Middle School students recently accepted the challenge of spelling such multi-syllabic bugaboos as "quadrilateral" and "resistance."
PCMS science teacher Martha Harrington presided over the annual bee in the school's library on Feb. 23.
During the competition among 10 eighth-graders, only Jake Bokori and Matt Yenne survived the first round. Within minutes, Yenne, cementing his reputation as the "bee's knees" when it comes to such events, corrected "acquire," then correctly spelled "utilize" to succeed in his fifth - and possibly sixth - consecutive pursuit of alphabetic nectar.
The swarm of nine seventh-grade participants was swiftly whittled as well. Ben Shirley took top honors by correcting "stimulus," then correctly spelling "inevitable."
Four of 10 sixth-graders made it out of the class' first round. After two fell by the wayside in the second, the competition waxed in intensity as Clay Davis and Karyme Hernandez, who had joined as an alternate, entered into an exhibition of sticky resolve which lasted for nearly 20 rounds.
Davis eventually emerged as champion, first correcting "humane," then correctly spelling "narrator." Hernandez, after combing her memory for such a lengthy period, seemed in the end to be more soothed than stung.
"There's usually one grade that has an interesting competition for first place," noted Harrington. "This year it was the sixth grade."
Reader for the bee was Anita Fisk; the panel of volunteer judges included Ashley Knight, Bruce Luke, Sheila Schein and Lu Ruth Walls.
All students at the school completed a written qualifying test, with the top 10 advancing to the bee. (The winners proceed no further, however.)
Harrington said the bee went well, adding, "The students did a great job. It's nice that they have an opportunity to display their talents, and I appreciate their efforts."
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