Bethel student wins regional spelling bee in Bryant; Headed to statewide competition

The Bryant School District held their annual spelling bee on Friday, January 27, 2023, with kids from 3rd to 8th grade competing for the title. This was the Regional Qualifier Competition as part of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. I was eager to participate myself, as the organizers asked me to be the pronouncer – the person who calls out the words and definitions for the students. 

There were originally 26 students that made it into this district-wide event, after winning their individual class bees. The kids went 17 rounds with only one dropping out in the first round, then more each round.  It was almost over in round 14 when three spellers were left and two of them got their words wrong.

The rules state that you must have two spellers in the final round, so those two with the wrong answer both got to go to round 15. One got it wrong, and then there were two in round 16 – Ayden Tucker of Bryant Middle School, and Kingston Mitchell of Bethel Middle School.

Ayden missed his word but Kingston didn’t. But it still wasn’t over… To win the bee, the last speller must get the word correct while alone in a final round. Kingston did just that and became the Regional Qualifier, with the word “roseola.”

Kingston Mitchell will advance to the statewide competition on Saturday, March 11th at the Vines Center in Little Rock. The 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee Finals will be on June 1st.