It took five rounds, plus a Championship word, to crown this year’s Flagler Schools Spelling Bee winner. After he finished spelling Richter scale, Buddy Taylor Middle School 7th grader Spencer Edelstein was all smiles. He now goes on to represent the district in the 78th Annual First Coast Regional Spelling Bee in Jacksonville on April 1.

Spencer correctly spelled knife, brocade, quatrains and katabatic. But he says his 3rd round word, padre, was the most difficult. “I couldn’t hear the pronunciation clearly on the stage. When he read the origin and repeated it again, I knew exactly what it was, but I wasn’t 100% sure until then.”

Spencer’s mother, Cheryl Edelstein, says her son studied non-stop for the competition. She says he’s also planning on dual enrolling with Daytona State College next fall.

The 2022 District Spelling Bee video is available on the Flagler Schools videos page.

 

The following students represented their schools in this year’s District Spelling Bee: 

NameSchoolGrade
Sophia EspositoBelle Terre Elementary5
Tiago De OliveiraBelle Terre Elementary6
Spencer EdelsteinBuddy Taylor Middle7
Holly KittrellBuddy Taylor Middle8
Lisset ArroyoBunnell Elementary5
Gray ParkinsBunnell Elementary6
Jonny HarnischChrist the King Lutheran5
Hannah RimpelChrist the King Lutheran8
Sophia ZambranoiFlagler Virtual5
Tyler PeeplesIndian Trails Middle7
Alec RileyIndian Trails Middle8
Lauren RutledgeOld Kings Elementary5
Justin GillespieOld Kings Elementary6
Xavier DuqueRymfire Elementary5
Zenae MillsRymfire Elementary6
Aubrey MarinoWadsworth Elementary5
Holden CarletonWadsworth Elementary6

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