Chloe Cordovez Takes First Place at the Hardeman County Spelling Bee {video}
The evening of the Hardeman County Spelling Bee at Bolivar Central High School on Monday, January 30, 2023, did not start off as planned with inclement weather expected later in the evening. Despite that, 18 of the 24 eligible spelling bee winners from the eight county elementary and middle schools came out to compete and show their skills as orthographers – great spellers.
One would have expected to see nervous children sitting on the stage waiting their turn to spell, but each had a sense of confidence as they proudly represented their respective schools.
The students who appeared to compete for their school included:
Bolivar Elementary School: Q’zaria Roberston (1st Place), Aubrey Mayhue (2nd Place), and Zalik Woods (Alternate)
Grand Junction Elementary School: Ronald Hughes IV (1st Place) and Taelyn Williams (3rd Place)
Middleton Elementary School: Braxton Scott (1st Place) and Mila Chipponeri (3rd Place)
Toone Elementary School: Hunter McMahan (1st Place), who was the 2022 Hardeman County Spelling Bee winner, Mason Sowder (3rd Place), and Jacob King (Alternate)
Bolivar Middle School: Chloe Cordovez (1st Place), Layla Howell (2nd Place), and Ayanna Turner (3rd Place)
Hornsby Elementary School: Libby Smith (1st Place), Tanley Moore (2nd Place), and Christina Murphy (3rd Place)
Middleton Middle School: Hunter Trainum (2nd Place)
Whiteville Elementary School: Alaya Robinson (1st Place)
Dr. Christy Smith, Director of the Hardeman County Schools gave the welcome, and then Dr. Dorrie Powell took over as the pronouncer to begin the spelling bee. Students went one round of spelling more simple words. They introduced themselves to the judges and the people in the audience that included parents and siblings, extended family members, friends, some staff from the schools they represented, and others who were there to cheer them to victory at the spelling bee.
The students made it through the first couple of rounds with no problem spelling. As the spelling bee continued, the words started to become more challenging. It was not long after that the judges rang the bell for the first time signaling the misspelling of a word and the end of the competition for that student. From that point, the remaining students continued to the microphone to spell, with the bell ringing until there were just four remaining, Chloe Cordovez, Layla Howell, Aubrey Mayhue, and Mason Sowder.
Some of the words that ended runs for the spelling bee contestants included switcheroo, infrared, maniacal, and prophetically.
Chloe Cordovez of Bolivar Middle School took the win with the correct spelling of “masa” and was awarded the first-place trophy and $150 for the Hardeman County Spelling Bee 2023. Mason Sowder of Toone Elementary School received the second place trophy and $85; Aubrey Mayhue of Bolivar Elementary School received the third place a trophy and $50; and Layla Howell of Bolivar Middle School received the fourth place trophy and $35.
“I’m so proud to represent Bolivar Middle School through this event. I prepared by studying and praying. I also prayed while on the stage,” said Chloe. “I thank God for guiding me, and my family for encouraging and supporting me. I’m looking forward to the next level. Thank you very much!”
Monica Shaw, Assistant Director of Teaching & Learning with the Hardeman County School Board was pleased with the turnout and happy the weather did not keep many people away.
“I’m so very excited that everybody came out despite the weather. We had a nice crowd and another successful spelling bee,” said Shaw who has coordinated the district spelling bee for 16 years.
Dr. Dorrie Powell also has a lengthy history with the Hardeman County Spelling Bee. Powell assisted while she was an English teacher at BCHS and the school librarian. She missed participating in the 2021 spelling bee as she recovered from cancer and underwent chemotherapy.
“Monica asked me if I would help again. I love it,” said Powell who retired from education in 2020. “My heart hurts when they miss (a word). As an English teacher, I’ve always valued spelling ability and grammar is important, so that you can communicate. As Dr. Smith said, ‘it’s not only a piece of that literacy picture’ because spelling is not as emphasized anymore when people text or even on posts they make. They may use a shorthand kind of spelling that’s not recognized or expected spelling.”
Powell also shared she was on the same stage as a seventh and eighth grader when she competed in the spelling bee while representing Whiteville Elementary School.
“That was when it had first through twelfth grades at the school in the mid-1960s,” said Powell who still remembers the two words she missed, which placed her as runner up. “Militia and khaki. I will never forget how to spell those two words.”
The Hardeman County Spelling Bee is a local competition for fourth through eighth grade students held annually to determine the spelling bee winner from among the eight participating area schools. The winner of that contest is for Hardeman County only. The first-place winners from the spelling bees held last year at each school will continue to the 2023 Tennessee Titans Regional Spelling Bee, regardless of how they placed on Monday. The regional spelling bee will be held at the Nissan Stadium on March 4, 2023, at 12 p.m.
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