Catawba County Schools

The intensity of the bee peaked in Round 6, when a particularly difficult set of words—including magnanimous, ratify, and sporadic—eliminated six contestants at once. Nearly half of the remaining field exited in a single round, a moment that underscored the rigor of the competition and the resilience of the spellers who advanced.

By the conclusion of Round 8, just two students remained at the microphone: sixth-grader Ellie T. from Clyde Campbell Elementary and fourth-grader Clara D. from Mountain View Elementary—the youngest competitor in the field. As the auditorium grew quiet, the spotlight shifted to the final rounds, where focus and confidence mattered as much as spelling accuracy.
The decisive moment came in Round 9, when Ellie misspelled felonious, opening the door for Clara. With calm determination, Clara correctly spelled her next word and then confidently approached the championship word—acoustic. Letter by letter, she spelled it flawlessly, earning the title of District Spelling Bee Champion and drawing a wave of applause as she lifted the trophy with a proud smile.
When asked how she prepared for the competition, Clara answered with confidence and humility:

“I got the list and studied, and I read a lot. This was my first district spelling bee.”

Her steady presence throughout the competition reflected both preparation and poise well beyond her years.
Clara will now represent Catawba County Schools at the Scripps Regional Spelling Bee in Charlotte this March, carrying with her the pride of an entire district and the excitement of a moment she will never forget.