Rio Rancho Names 2009 Spelling Bee Champions

Two Rio Rancho Spellers Advance to State Spelling Bee

Fallibility – and several other words – weren’t an issue for Logan Meredith at Rio Rancho District Spelling Bee.  In fact, the Lincoln Middle School seventh grader proved to be infallible today, as he outlasted 29 other spellers to capture the Rio Rancho District Spelling Bee championship. 

Meredith clinched the bee in the eighth round, acing out Rio Rancho Mid-High eighth grader Jessica Tipton.  His winning words were “gravigrade,” meaning any of several large heavy-footed mammals such as an elephant, and “fallibility,” meaning liability or proneness to make errors.  Tipton correctly spelled “acquired” – gained by or as a result of effort or experience – in the sixth round to clinch second place and a spot at the state bee. 

Meredith and Tipton will both advance to the state spelling bee in March in Albuquerque.  The alternate, in case one of the spellers is unable to compete, is Cielo Azul Elementary School third-grader Carla Law, the bee’s third place finisher.  The winner of the state contest moves on to the National Spelling Bee, held May 26-28 in Washington, D.C. 

This year’s contest was the largest Rio Rancho district spelling bee ever, with thirty students from ten Rio Rancho elementary schools, three middle schools, Rio Rancho Mid-High School, and St. Thomas Aquinas School competing.  All participants received certificates and gifts, and the top three students received trophies.

 

[Pictured at right (left to right): Lisa Cour, RRPS Board President, Dr. Sue Cleveland, RRPS Superintendent, Mayor Tom Swisstack, Principal Laura Moore, Carla Law, Jessica Tipton, and Logan Meredith. Also picture on the far-right is Matthew Evans, National Spelling Bee finalist and five-time NM State Champion, who assisted with the pronunciation of words, at one time providing 7 different pronunciations for the word "paprika"!]