SANTA CRUZ — The annual countywide Spelling Bee took place Saturday at UC Santa Cruz. Students from fourth to ninth grade participated in two separate groups.
The winners will now move on to the statewide competition in spring. Winners of that competition then move on to the nationals.
This year in the junior high division, Connor Barirani, Georgiana Bruce Kirby Prep, and Owen McGinty, Rio Del Mar Elementary, advanced to State competition.
Ronan Mai, Santa Cruz Gardens, came in third.
In the elementary division, grades 4-6, Owen Mercer, Scotts Valley Middle School, and Tristan Torres, Aptos Junior High School, also advanced to the State.
Jung Soo Jose Kim-Ebio, Alianza Charter School, placed third.
About 90 students took part in Saturday’s event, representing public and private schools in Santa Cruz County. Each school selected their two top spellers to send to the countywide Spelling Bee sponsored by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education.
