Parents and teachers filled the bleachers at the Sunnyslope School multipurpose room as they watched the students compete in the 19th annual San Benito County Elementary and Junior High Spelling Bees, held Tuesday, Jan. 24 and Wednesday, Jan. 25.
Fourth- to sixth-grade students enrolled in public, private or home school took a 50-word written spelling test on Tuesday with seventh- and eighth-graders competing on Wednesday in the hopes of being among the top 25 spellers invited back for the county championships on Feb. 7 and 8.
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Hollister and the San Benito County Office of Education, winners of the preliminary round will be announced Monday, Jan. 30 and will be competing for the chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card.
First and second place finishers will represent the county in the State Spelling Bee. The junior high students will compete in the state finals in San Rafael on May 6, while the younger students will compete in Stockton on May 13.