Citizen Staff Writer
MARY BUSTAMANTE
mbustamante@tucsoncitizen.com
Quick, spell “eg-’za-ser-bat.”
But first, pretend you’re in elementary or middle school and you’re on stage in front of hundreds of people.
That’s what 57 students from area public, private and charters school – and some home schools – will be up against at the 2009 Pima County Spelling Bee.
It will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Berger Center for the Performing Arts at the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, 1200 W. Speedway Blvd.
“Exacerbate” was the last word correctly spelled last year.
The top two spellers at this year’s bee will advance to the state contest March 28 at Arizona State University in Tempe, said coordinator Jaymie Jacobs. The winner there receives $500 and a trip for two to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., from May 22-24.
The nearly five dozen Pima County contestants made it to Saturday’s bee by winning spelling bees at their schools or home school organizations, she said. Each will get a gift certificate from Bookmans Entertainment Exchanges and the top three will receive medals.
Those competing and their grade level from the Tucson Unified School District are:
Eleanor Allen Henderson, 6, Dodge Middle School; Ian Smith, 5; Fruchthendler Elementary School; Zachary Benz, 6; Doolen Middle School; Noelle Moquin, 8, Gridley Middle School; Hector Rodriquez, 7, Hohokam Middle School; Thomas Noriega, 5, Sam Hughes Elementary School; Shelbie Fuller, 5, Kellond Elementary School; John “Jack” Ames, 8, Magee Middle School; Carlos Camacho, 4, Tolson Elementary School; and Faith Eusebius, 5, Wright Elementary School.
From Sunnyside Unified School District:
Brandon Castro, 8, Chaparral Middle School; Alexander Garcia, 8, and Stefen Gutierrez, 7, Lauffer Middle School; Andrez Romero, 5, Los Amigos Elementary School; and Natalie Tejeda Babers, 4, Los Ranchitos Elementary School.