Bee ends with photosynthesis

Date: 3/10/2009

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



SPRINGFIELD -- After a long list of words had decimated the number of contestants that participated in the first Tri-School Spelling Bee on Thursday, it all came down to whether or not William DeBerry School fifth grader Jonathan Hayles could spell photosynthesis.

He aced it with no problem to the cheers of the standing room only audience in the auditorium of the Rebecca Johnson School. Students from the DeBerry, Johnson and Homes Street schools met for what is expected to be an annual test of their knowledge of words.

Suraji Omuru of the Rebecca Johnson School came in second place and Jennette Gonzalez of the DeBerry School was third. Hayles received a $100 gift card donated by Hampden Bank, Omuru received a $50 gift card donated by the Springfield College basketball team and Gonzalez won a $25 gift card donated by Springfield resident Van Johnson. School Superintendent Dr. Alan Ingram presented the students with their awards.

All of the participants received a dictionary from Hampden Bank.

School officials had to warn the audience not to spell the words out themselves and the quiet in the auditorium indicated how seriously the students took the competition.

Hayles said that winning felt good and that he might donate his gift card to charity. When asked if he had prepared for the event, he said, I studied a little. But most of the words I already knew.

The teams members included: (DeBerry School) Melissa Diaz, Melinda Diaz, Aniisha Cortes, Jonathan Hayles, Xzander Chapman, Jermaine Powell, Carlos Acevedo, Jennette Gonzalez, Ariyanna Evans, Thomas Messbauer, Mikayla Bennett; (Homer Street School) Xavier Aponte, John Cruz, Trevon Akers, Josean Maisonet, Tyshawn Harris, Jessenia Colon, Juan Marte, S Aints Winfree, Janice Jackson, Iyanu Doxy; (Rebecca Johnson School) Ciara Bauza, Jeremy Jones, Nathien Lopez, Dondre Crump, Suraji Omoru, Shaquiel Spencer, Francheska Torres, Maya Wilson, Sherianne Brana and Destane Pope-White.