March 1, 2024
Congratulations to Angelo Aldoph, an eighth grader at Max Abbott Middle School, for being named Cumberland County Schools' (CCS) Spelling Bee Champion for the second year in a row! After 44 rounds, the two-time winner correctly spelled "emollient" to capture 'the win.'
Fifty-seven students competed in the Preliminary Level II Spelling Bees, which took place throughout the week, but concluded today with the championship competition taking place in the William "Bill" Harrison Educational Resource Center.
Parents, teachers, fellow students and staff eagerly watched the group of participants one-by-one step up to the microphone and demonstrate 'their spelling power' to the crowd.
Nine students competed in the Championship Spelling Bee after winning their school’s level I and district’s level II competitions. This year's second- and third-place winners were Ashna Upreti, an eighth grader from John Griffin Middle School, and Emily Staneata, an eighth grader at St. Patrick's Catholic School, respectively.
“I am speechless," said CCS Superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr. "This is an example of what we talk about when we reference successful students. This group is the best of the best!”
In addition to qualifying for the national competition, Angelo won the following prizes:
- The Samuel Louis Sugarman Award, which is a 2024 United States Mint Proof Set provided by Jay Sugarman, chairman and CEO of iStar Financial, in honor of his father. Aldoph will receive this prize in the summer.
- The Britannica Online Premium, which is a one-year subscription for the premier online resource from Encyclopedia Britannica.
- The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online is a one-year subscription for the official word source for all levels of competition for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Angelo now advances to compete in the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee this summer near Washington, DC, courtesy of Cumberland County Schools. The semi-finals and the finals will be televised on ION and Bounce on May 28 and 29, respectively.
