Roosevelt bees go 20 rounds, 74 words

PORTALES - Students from Lindsey Steiner Elementary School proved they were a cut above the rest when it comes to spelling on Friday, taking all the top spots at the Roosevelt County Spelling Bee and sending a representative to the state competition.

The top spellers from schools across Roosevelt County met in the Becky Sharp Auditorium at the Eastern New Mexico University campus for 20 rounds and 74 words across two bees at the senior and junior level.

Becky Carruthers, Stephen Hardin and Denise Burnett judged the competition, while Opal Greer served as pronouncer and spoke the words.

It took 10 rounds and 45 words for sixth-graders Promise Duolo and Katelynn Hatch of Lindsey Steiner to face off to see who would be the champion of the senior competition.

In the end, Katelynn missed on "palladium" and Promise successfully spelled "brevet" before taking on the championship word.

The winning word of the senior bee wasn't for the faint of heart, but Promise overcame it, correctly spelling "Connemara," which is the name of a district of Ireland in western Galway that borders the Atlantic Ocean.

Promise qualified to advance to the 2020 New Mexico State Spelling Bee on March 21, with Katelynn standing by to attend if Promise can't make it.

"This is my first time doing it this year," said Promise, who plans to compete at state.

"I was excited and nervous to compete, but if Promise doesn't want to go I'd love to go," Katelynn said.

Promise received a $500 scholarship to attend ENMU someday and each of the top competitors also received a Barnes and Noble gift card.

The junior spelling bee went 10 rounds total, blowing through 29 words.

Fifth-grader Anna Oglesby was the last speller standing, earning herself a chance to advance to the senior competition.

Anna earned a shot at the winning word by correctly spelling "ramparts" after fellow Lindsey Steiner fifth-grader Roxana Allamehzadeh misspelled "surmised."

From there, Anna correctly spelled the championship word "garnet" to advance, but was eliminated midway through the senior competition.

"I feel good," Anna said. "My school spelling bee was my second and this was my third."

Betty Williamson, director of the spelling bee, was impressed with this year's competitors.

"I think they all did very well. Every miss was a clean miss and that's what makes me the happiest," Williamson said. "I hate it when there's an error and it's kind of muddy."