Dardon and Portillo compete in Lea County Spelling Bee
By John Earp
Last Thursday at Tydings Auditorium on the campus of Hobbs High School, dozens of spellers from elementary and junior high schools across the county participated in the Lea County Spelling Bee. The bee went on for a remarkable number of 23 rounds. By the beginning of round 4 there were a total of 14 spellers remaining, two of which were from Jal. Sofia Dardon represented Jal Elementary as the alternate, as Kairi Ehrenfelt was not able to attend the bee. Grettel Portillo represented Jal Junior High as an alternate, as Kynzie Sauceda was unable to attend. A lack of communication to Jal Elementary School regarding the date of the county spelling bee resulted in the Jal Elementary spellers to have only one partial day of preparation before the bee. Our Jal girls were unfortunately eliminated from the competition by the fifth round. Some of the words which were used in the spelling bee this time were “dodgy,” “quill,” “biology,” “stifle,” “lollygag,” “magnolia,” “military,” “threshold,” “surcharge,” “embroiled,” “feisty,” “karma,” “stockade,” and “physician.” The MC for the county spelling bee was Dixie Rosier. Pronouncer was Pam Randall. Judges were Kelly Holladay and Sandy Segars. Schools represented at the bee were Broadmoor Elementary, Booker T. Washington Elementary, College Lane Elementary, Coronado Elementary, Edison Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, Southern Heights Elementary, Stone Elementary, Taylor Elementary, Will Rogers Elementary, Heizer Middle School, Highland Middle School, Houston Middle School, St. Vincent’s Catholic School, Veritas Christian Academy, Mettie Jordan Elementary, Jal Elementary, Jal Junior High, Yarbro Elementary, Taylor Middle School, and Lovington 6th Grade Academy as well as Tatum Elementary.