Sixth-grader Cody Cruce will represent Mayfield Elementary School in the Lapeer County spelling bee after he emerged the winner in a spelling competition at his school on Thursday, February 11.
His secret for success? He reads a lot and controls his nerves when spelling in front of a crowd.
Cody won the competition at his school when he correctly spelled “vanilla” after other students were eliminated in the multi-round spelling bee.
“It just really seems to come to me,” Cody said of his spelling skills.
Mayfield will send two students to the county spelling bee. Fifth-grader Hope O’Neill will join him in the competition after finishing second Thursday. Sixth-grader Beth Adams finished third and will serve as alternate, competing at the county level if Cody or Hope are unable to attend.
The spelling bees, occurring in schools across the country, eventually will determine the competitors for the National Spelling Bee to be held in June in Washington, D.C.
Lynch Elementary held its spelling bee on Monday, February 8. Allison Vestbjerg won the Lynch competition and will represent her school in the county-wide bee. Seaton, Murphy and Maple Grove elementary schools will conduct their spelling bees next week to determine which of their students will compete at the county level.
