Earp Wins Lea County Spelling Bee
By John Earp
This past Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. in the Tydings Auditorium on the campus of Hobbs High School, the 2026 Lea County Spelling Bee was held. Jal Elementary was represented well by Kairi Ehrenfelt, who placed 5th overall. Jal Junior High was represented very well by 8th grader Elijah Earp, who won first place after correctly spelling, “Pinnacle.”
Twenty-five spellers from all districts in the county participated in the county spelling bee, including thirteen elementary and three middle schools of the Hobbs District, two private schools in Hobbs as well as spellers from Tatum, Lovington, Eunice and Jal Public Schools. Jesus Alcantar represented Broadmoor Elementary. Dylan Medrano represented Booker T. Washington Elementary. Carter Hencey represented College Lane Elementary. Henry Amador represented Coronado Elementary. Alexix Trejo represented Edison Elementary. Dominic Alderete represented Jefferson Elementary. Mun Kandel represented Mills Elementary. Vida Rivero represented Murray Elementary. Emily Samaniego represented Sanger Elementary. Ishean Araza represented Southern Heights Elementary.
Camila Suchil represented Stone Elementary. Montserrat Torres represented Taylor Elementary. Fernando Menchaca represented Will Rogers Elementary. Tommy Sazul represented Heizer Middle School. Samuel Vera represented Highland Middle School. Riley Romero represented Houston Middle School. Selena Losoya represented St. Helena’s Catholic School. Judah Arsiaga represented Veritas Christian Academy. Jackson Perez represented Yarbro Elementary of Lovington. Pablogael Quintana Molinar represented Taylor Middle School of Lovington. Jathan Vuicich represented Lovington 6th Grade Academy. Paisley Gonzales represented Tatum Elementary. Nixon Arcidez represented Mettie Jordan Elementary of Eunice.
Some of the words that were required to be spelled in the bee included: Mosque, fugitive, dexterity, prestigious, colossus, stucco, magnanimous, courier, ultimatum, sporadic, pizzeria, parachute, gyroplane, receipts, ostracism, precocious, chassis, silhouette, and cadre. Twelve spellers were eliminated in the first round, and by the fourth round, only six spellers remained. The final six contestants then underwent “spell-offs,” to place each in order.
The bee was attended by several dozen people, including friends and family members of the contestants. The top six spellers were given instructions regarding the next level of the spelling bee, which will be a proctored online bee on the 25th of February at each speller’s school. Results of that bee will determine who represents Lea County at the State Spelling Bee in Albuquerque.
Mistress of Ceremonies was Dixie Rosier. Pam Randall served as Pronouncer. Judges were Gail Bryant, Kelly Holladay, and Becca Titus. The administration, faculty, and staff of Hobbs Municipal Schools, which hosted the bee, congratulated all the students who participated in the Lea County Spelling Bee, saying how proud they were of all the spellers.
Elijah Earp has several career ambitions at this point in life, including wanting to be a father, military service, rancher, pastor, and paleontologist. He is the third son of John and Jaime Earp, who are pastors of the Jal Church of God.