Special to The Post-Searchlight

The District Spelling Bee for Decatur County Schools was held Dec. 13, 2012. Elementary schools that participated were: Jones-Wheat, Potter Street, West Bainbridge, and Elcan-King. Both Hutto and Bainbridge Middle School also participated.

The following students represented their schools in the District Spelling Bee: Kaitlin Floyd, Allie Fitzgerald, Aaliyah Thompson, K’Vion Brown, Corbin Austin, Joshua Robinson, Jose Cabada, Aaron Mosely, Carter Worthington, Kendall Jackson, Renee Fillingame, Hailee Attaway, Hannah Bell, Camry Fillingame, Diana Ambrocio, and Gracie Register.

Renee Fillingame from Hutto Middle School was the district bee winner, and Diana Ambrocio from Bainbridge Middle School was the runner-up. Fillingame represented the Decatur County Schools at the Tallahassee Democrat Big Bend Regional Spelling Bee on Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Aquilina C. Howell Instructional Service Center.

The spelling bee officials and program participants for the District Spelling Bee were: Dr. Rayfield, Decatur County Schools superintendent; Dr. Suzi Bonifay, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction; Dr. Linda B. Lumpkin, assistant superintendent of human resources; Dee Wadell, Hutto Middle School Teacher of the Year 2012-2013; Doris Cosby, retired teacher (Jones-Wheat); Linda Hitchcock, retired teacher (West Bainbridge Middle); Kathy Martin, retired teacher (Jones-Wheat); Debbie Williams, assistant principal (Bainbridge High School); and DeAnna Miller, District Spelling Bee coordinator and teacher at Hutto Middle School.

A reception hosted by Dr. Christine Pugh and Mrs. Catherine Ellison, representatives of the Georgia Association of Educators, immediately followed the competition. All participants and their families were invited.

The Georgia Association of Educators and Georgia Association of Retired Educators sponsor the district spelling bees throughout the state. Students in the fourth through eighth grades are eligible to participate.