Thirteen All-Star spellers in grades 1-8 competed in the ACS Spelling Bee on February 21 and 4th grader Leila Alobeidy was the last speller left standing and will move on to represent ACS at the South Jersey Regional Spelling Bee on March 21 in Vineland.
Leila won first place in the ACS Bee for the third consecutive year. 8th grader Ryleigh Martin of Mays Landing placed second, Leila’s 3rd grade brother, Adam, placed third, and 7th grader Ruth Oke of Williamstown placed a close fourth.
The All-Star spellers advanced to the school-wide Bee by winning classroom spelling bees over the past month. As fellow students, teachers, and proud parents watched from the audience, the Bee went 60 rounds, the longest of any prior ACS spelling bees.
Leila and Ryleigh went head to head for the last 23 rounds before Ryleigh misspelled “logistics” and Leila clinched the victory by correctly spelling the 287th word in the bee — “reductive.”
“We’re very proud of every student who competed and we know Leila will do a great job representing our school at the regional bee,” said Mrs. Jessica Martin, the ACS Spelling Club Advisor who oversaw the Bee.
At the conclusion of the Bee, Leila’s 4th grade teachers and classmates cheered and gathered round to give her a hug and congratulate her. The classroom finalists, by grade, were: Khaleesi Nyanankpe and Caitlyn Doucett (1st); Tamara Kulov and Luke Sabulao (2nd); Adam Alobeidy (3rd); Leila Alobeidy and Matthew Coates (4th); Sophia Capito and Thomas Potenski (5th); Joshua Oke (6th); Samuel Lilley and Ruth Oke (7th); and Ryleigh Martin (8th).
