Winners of the 2022 Los Alamos Public Schools District Spelling Bee are, from left, Silas Iverson, 1st place; Catelynn Romero, 2nd place; and Hannah Li, 3rd place. Silas and Catelynn will represent LAPS at the New Mexico State Spelling Bee in March. Photo Courtesy LAPS

LAPS District Spelling Bee judges were, from left, Debbie Grothaus, LAPD Deputy Chief Oliver Morris and Morrie Pongratz. Photo Courtesy LAPS

LAPS NEWS RELEASE

Silas Iverson, a 6th grader at Mountain Elementary won first place at the Los Alamos Public Schools District Spelling Bee. Catelynn Romero, a 6th grader at Aspen Elementary, earned second place. Mountain Elementary 4th grader Hannah Li placed third.

Silas and Catelynn will move on to compete in the New Mexico State Spelling Bee which will be held virtually the week of March 7 – 11.

Seventeen students from all five elementary schools and Los Alamos Middle School participated in the District Spelling Bee held Wednesday evening at Chamisa Elementary School. Cindy Richard was the District Spelling Bee coordinator, emcee, and recordkeeper.  Tammy Hinckley assisted students as they arrived and was the timekeeper.  Judy Crocker was the pronouncer, and Debbie Grothaus, LAPD Deputy Chief Oliver Morris and Morrie Pongratz were the judges. Debbie Bell, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent, also provided administrative support for the Spelling Bees.

School site sponsors include Skyeanne Webb, Aspen Elementary; Pam Miller, Barranca Elementary; Cindy Richard, Chamisa Elementary; Shanda Moore, Mountain Elementary; Tera Deines, Piñon Elementary; and Sherri Bublitz, Los Alamos Middle School.