The Newton County School System (NCSS) will host the 2023 District Spelling Bee on Friday, February 10, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. at Newton High School. Each of the school system’s elementary and middle schools will send its spelling bee champion to participate in the county competition.

Students in grades fourth through eighth were eligible to participate in their school competitions. In addition to the champion, each school will send its runner up in the school spelling bee as an alternate in the event the school champion is unable to participate.

“Even in the technology rich world that we live in today, spelling continues to be an important tool because the written word is so powerful,” said Benjamin B. Roundtree, Director of Elementary Schools. “Among other things, the spelling bee supports our students’ learning by enhancing their understanding of vocabulary relative to spelling and by promoting correct word usage. Indeed, spelling bee competitions in our schools continue to be highly anticipated events, and we are happy to continue this venerable tradition.”

During the competition, contestants must spell the word they are given correctly. After having started to spell a word, the contestant will not be given any opportunity to change the letters, once pronounced. If a speller fails to spell the word correctly, he must step out of the competition.

Once the competition is down to just two remaining contestants, the elimination procedure will change. When one finalist misses a word, the other finalist will spell the next word on the caller’s list. If the contestant spells that word and the next word on the list correctly, he or she will be declared the winner. If he or she misspells either of those two words, the other finalist will be given the next word on the caller’s list to spell. If that finalist spells the next word and the next correctly, he or she will be declared the winner. If both finalists misspell their word, both shall continue in the Bee and the one who first misspelled his or her word shall be given the next word on the caller’s list to spell.

The judges and the NCSS Spelling Bee Committee are in complete control of the Bee at all times and the judges’ decision shall be final on all matters. Parents and family members are invited to attend the NCSS Spelling Bee; however, we ask that parents refrain from bringing infants and small children to the competition as they may distract the contestants. We also ask that flash photography only be used after the competition is completed.

NCSS’s 2023 school-level spelling bee champions are as follows:   

SCHOOL	CHAMPION	ALTERNATE
East Newton Elementary	Riley Rawls	Emma Oftedal
Fairview Elementary	Ashiah Giles	Caleb Williams
Flint Hill Elementary	Jamari McGee	Bobby Stephens III
Heard-Mixon Elementary	Marsaan Clayton	Caitlyn Snead
Live Oak Elementary	Angel Burdette	Cedric Frazier
Livingston Elementary	Tania Menchaca	Camdyn Hicks
Mansfield Elementary	Morgan Jeffries	James Cooper II
Middle Ridge Elementary	Joseph Woodruff	Skyler Williams
Newton County Theme School  at Ficquett	Caleb Ekanem	Jaimoni Parker
Oak Hill Elementary	Shaniya DeSears	Aiden Ruffin
Porterdale Elementary	Sy`Niah Benton-Stokes	Cortez Fleming
Rocky Plains Elementary	Justin Conwell	Nathaniel Stafford
South Salem Elementary	Ravin Belcher	Nataleigh Brown
West Newton Elementary	Adreal Burtts	Kendall Banks
Clements Middle	Oemerhomu Erakptobor	Dakayla Fulton-Johnson
Cousins Middle	Ray Holt	Claude Lemond, Jr.
Indian Creek Middle	Jet Rawls	Jayden Simmons
Liberty Middle	Jeffery Lowe	Qayyum Rahim
Veterans Memorial Middle	Emerson Greenidge	Gracie Gomes

The winner of the NCSS Spelling Bee will represent the school district at the District 5 Regional Spelling Bee on Saturday, February 25, 2023, at Edwards Middle School in Conyers, Georgia.