NA’s Victoria Rutherford is county’s top speller

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spelling bee winners

“Madagascar” proved to be more than exotic for New Albany Middle School student Victoria Rutherford Tuesday. It allowed her to become the county’s top speller in the annual county spelling bee held at the courthouse.

Rutherford successfully spelled the word after second-place winner Brayden Briggs of East Union failed to spell “colossal.”

Destiny Harris of Myrtle was third, eliminated after failing to spell “intriguing.”

Seventeen champion spellers from the four county schools and New Albany elementary and middle schools competed for the title and Rutherford will now go on to the state bee to be held later this spring.

The bee lasted longer than in some years with the students going through 21 rounds, being asked to spell nearly 200 words.

Competing were Jobe Basden, Danielle Braswell and Brayden Briggs of East Union; Lizzy Jo Hall and Hunter Brasco of Ingomar; Destiny Harris, Noah Massengill and Blake Thompson of Myrtle; Graham Hall, Alex Robertson and Jack Rutherford of West Union; Kidd Bennett, Christopher Chen and Ezekiel Brooks of New Albany Elementary School; and Katie Favela, Layton Hardy and Victoria Rutherford of New Albany Middle School.

As in the past, the bee was sponsored by the Potter-Henry-Lowrey American Legion Post 72 and Auxiliary Unit 72. The post presented winners with U. S. Savings Bonds for many years until they no longer became available. Tuesday, Rutherford received $125, Briggs got $75 and Harris received $50.

The Junior Auxiliary also provided refreshements, certificates and gifts to the spelling contestants.

Joanna Ozbirn pronounced the words and judges were Robin Merritt, Mitzi Benjamin and Tameri Dunnam.

Coordinators were Edith Wilhite of East Union, Alison McGregor of Ingomar, Lisa Byers of Myrtle, Penny Heard of West Union, Glen Reeder of New Albany Elementary School and Lauren Stanford of New Albany Middle School.

all spellers

Students line up to begin competition

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