Who won this year's Cleveland County Schools spelling bee?
The Cleveland County 2024 spelling bee champion was declared Thursday with the winning word of "transpiration."
Tensions ran high at the Shelby Middle School auditorium during the final rounds as a battle between the two remaining spelling contestants unfolded.
The Cleveland County Schools 2024 Spelling Bee was held with 21 students grades fourth through eighth from elementary, intermediate and middle schools around the county.
Following the fourth round, which resulted in everyone but Ethan Van Dyke and Stella Fortenberry being eliminated, Van Dyke tripped up on the word “affiliate,” which Stella spelled correctly but then subsequently misspelled “syndicate.”
The two continued on for several more rounds before Fortenberry misspelled “unscathed” and, after Van Dyke spelled it correctly followed by the correct spelling of "transpiration," he won the title of spelling bee champ and Fortenberry was named the runner-up.
All first-place winners from district-level bees will earn a seat at the 2024 Carolina Panthers Regional Spelling Bee presented by Bank of America on March 17.
Words included in the county bee had a variety of varying difficulty, including bubonic, vengeance, loch, affiliate, reimbursable and more.
Van Dyke is a student at Kings Mountain Middle School, and Fortenberry attends Burns Middle.
Both students were given a trophy, and the winner was presented with $100 and runner-up with $50. All participants received a customized backpack and medallion.
The event was live streamed on the Cleveland County Schools Facebook page. .
“We are proud of you, and you have already won by being here today,” said Dr. Jason Parker, executive director of elementary education who gave the welcome speech and introductions.
Niki Bliss Carroll called out the words, and this year’s judges were Jerry Hopper, Karla Haynes and Leslie Cobb.
The 2024 spellers for Cleveland County included:
Liam Presnell, Bethware Elementary
Emma Ford, Boiling Springs Elementary
Stella Fortenberry, Burns Middle
William Chaney, Casar Elementary
Greyson Wells, Cleveland Innovation
Lucas Stack, Crest Middle
Zahria Hopper, East Elementary
Megan Abarenio, Elizabeth Elementary
Gavin Johnson, Fallston Elementary
Kayleana Roberts, Grover Elementary
Brylan Bess, James Love Elementary
Paisley Stallings, Jefferson Elementary
James Welsh, Kings Mountain Intermediate
Ethan Van Dyke, Kings Mountain Middle
Nina Escobar, North Elementary
Michael Dechalus, Shelby Middle
Karlie Page, Springmore Elementary
Eli Brooks, Township Three Elementary
Alyson Reed, Union Elementary
Gracie Stimpson, Washington Elementary
Sawyer Benfield, West Elementary
This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Who won this year's Cleveland County Schools spelling bee?
