Waupaca fourth grader in spelling bee
A Waupaca fourth grader will be among the students from throughout Wisconsin competing in this year’s state spelling bee.
Alexandra Johnson will be in Madison Saturday, March 24 for the competition.
The top three students will advance to the National Spelling Bee, in Washington, D.C.
Johnson is a student at Waupaca Learning Center, and Jordan Williams is her teacher.
After she won the district spelling bee, Johnson asked Mary Jo Tomaras if she knew anyone who could help her study for the regional spelling bee.
Tomaras is the gifted and talented instructor at Waupaca Learning Center.
She asked Sandra Robinson, who is a member of the Waupaca School Board, if she would be interested in helping Johnson study for the regional competition.
Robinson agreed.
Johnson, as well as Waupaca Middle School students Emily Bauer and Gabe Klug, advanced to last month’s regional spelling bee in Wild Rose after being the the top three spellers in the local district spelling bee.
Klug was unable to participate in the regional contest due to being out sick that day.
Johnson and Bauer competed, with Johnson winning and Bauer taking second place and thus becoming the regional alternate.
They competed in CESA 5’s Region 2 Bee.
That bee included students from the Almond-Bancroft, Stevens Point, Tomorrow River, Tri-County, Waupaca, Wautoma and Wild Rose school districts.
When Bauer misspelled the word “sphinx,” Johnson spelled it correctly and then spelled “disquisition” correctly to become the winner.
In CESA 5, regional bees were held at four locations, with 89 students from 56 school participating.
Johnson will now compete with the rest of the CESA regional spelling bee champions and continues working with Robinson in preparation for it.
Tomaras describes them as a dynamic duo.
“Sandra volunteered her time to work with Alexandra to help Alexandra study for the regional spelling bee and is continuing to help her study for the state spelling bee on Saturday,” she said.