HODGDON, Maine — Although we live in a technological age of smartphones and tablets with texting jargon and autocorrect features, some students still know how to spell complex words the old-fashioned way.
In a contest that lasted a little less than an hour, 12 students in grades 6, 7 and 8 at Mill Pond School in Hodgdon took turns Wednesday spelling words with increasing difficulty.
Eighth-grader Abigail McAtee, the daughter of Jeff McAtee and Bobbie McAtee, survived 14 rounds of spelling challenges to earn the school bee title. McAtee correctly spelled the words “perilous” and “rendition” to win the championship.
Fellow eighth-grader Sabra Scott, the daughter of Meg York and John Scott, finished as runner-up in the competition.
Both the winner and runner-up earned the right to advance to the Aroostook County Bee — Thursday, Feb. 2, at 6:30 p.m. at the University of Maine at Fort Kent Fox Auditorium. The snow date is Thursday, Feb. 9.
Bee Master Stephanie Harris welcomed those in attendance and introduced the judges, Mill Pond School teachers Suzette Belyea, Sarah McQuarrie and Jill Hyman. She then had students spell what seemed to be random words in a practice round, but when those words were read together in a statement afterwards, a hidden message became clear. That message was “Listen closely. Think before starting. Apply rules. Speak clearly. Avoid careless mistakes.”
Some of the more challenging words presented to the students included “clodhopper,” which is a pair of large wooden shoes; and “settee,” a long upholstered seat for more than one person, typically with a back and arm.
Other students participating in the bee included sixth-graders Sarah Williams, Hope Parker, Amelia McAtee and Alexander Morris; seventh-graders Madison Schools, TJ Fitzpatrick and Sam Sawyer; and eighth-graders Emma Drew and Cassidy Desrosiers.
