Machinery clinches win

CASCADE MEDALISTS: From left, Alfredo Lopez took 3rd; Kiara Brown, 2nd; and Katie Banning, 1st, in local Bee.

The Cascade Elementary Union School District held its fourth and fifth grade spelling bees at Meadow Lane School last week.

The top six spellers from combined fourth and fifth grade classes at Verde Vale, Anderson Heights and Meadow Lane campuses competed to see which of the district's best spellers would come out on top for their respective schools.

In the first round, one speller left the competition, in the second round three more were eliminated. As the words became more difficult in the fourth and fifth rounds, it came down to fellow Meadow Lane students Kiara Brown and Kaitie Banning battling for the championship in the fifth round.

Brown was given the word "<I>crescent</I>", which tripped her up and left the door open for Banning. After about an hour of spelling, Banning finished her word "<I>machinery</I>" correctly and won first place.

Brown came in second and Alfredo Lopez of Verde Vale finished third after misspelling "<I>equivalent</I>."

In another classroom a few rooms down from the fifth grade spelling bee, fourth graders were also holding a district spelling bee of their own. Ricki Bennett of Anderson Heights placed first, Angelica Creager of Meadow Land placed second and Da' Shaun Mickens of Anderson Heights placed third.

Judges for the event were Jim Carroll, a Cascade Board Member, Genevra Williamson, principal at Verde Vale, and Maghan Hunt, Education Reporter for the Valley Post.