Monday, Jan. 23, 2023–8:00 a.m.

-Floyd County Schools news release-

Coosa High School student Caedmon Burnett correctly spelled “encompass” and then “ballast” to win the Floyd County Schools District Spelling Bee Thursday morning at Armuchee High School.

Eight Floyd County students put their spelling skills to the test in the annual competition.

Model High’s Elijah Ely won second place and will serve as the alternate for FCS at the next level of competition.

Caedmon has represented her school at the district spelling bee three times during her eligibility window.

She now has the opportunity to represent FCS at the GAE Region 1 Spelling Bee on Saturday, February 25, 2023, at Georgia Highlands College Lakeview Building. 

Each attendance area sent its 4th-5th grade winner and 6th-8th grade winner to the FCS District Spelling Bee in hopes of taking home the title and a chance to advance to the regional competition.

The group of spellers went through nine rounds of words before a champion was declared in the event; seven rounds were performed before naming the two finalists.

Spellers were challenged with difficult words such as “inaudible,” “crevices,” “intubated,” and “counterfeit.” 

The FCS Spelling Bee Coordinator was Dr. Tabatha Tierce. Garden Lakes Elementary assistant principal Dr. Jeb Arp served as the emcee and the pronouncer of the words; FCS science coach Latasha Lampkin and FCS social studies coach Courtney Allen served as spotters and proctors (assisting speller advocates in the event of a question, as well as making sure the audience did not mouth letters to contestants); FCS math coach Miranda Styles and GLES reading interventionist Renee Gilreath assisted spellers with registration; and FCS Fine Arts Coordinator Sherry Childs, FCS Middle School Literacy Coach Lindsay Norton and FCS High School Literacy Coach Dr. Brittney Phinazee served as judges.

Attendance Area Spelling Bee winners who participated in the FCS district bee:

Armuchee Attendance Area

4th-5th grades: Zura Cantrell, AES, 5th grade 

6th-8th grades: Elijah Cranford, AHS, 8th grade 

Coosa Attendance Area

4th-5th grades: Elizabeth Stepp, APES, 4th grade

6th-8th grades: Caedmon Burnett, CHS, 8th grade

Model Attendance Area 

4th-5th grades: Russ McDaniel, JES, 4th grade

6th-8th grades: Elijah Ely, MHS, 8th grade

Pepperell Attendance Area

4th-5th grades: Case Burkhalter, PMS, 5th grade

6th-8th grades: Torin Hickman, PMS, 7th grade