Spellers excel

Though many a parent shed tears of joy, there was no need for widespread use of desiccants, especially for Kelvin Noronha,a sixth grader from Mountain View Elementary School in the Goleta Union School District, who spelled the word correctly to take top honors in the elementary division of the Santa Barbara County Spelling Bee on Thursday in the auditorium of the Santa Barbara County Education Office.

And though teeth were clenched, there were no noticeable malocclusions in the case of Michelle Macdonald, a sixth grader at Jonata School in the Buellton Union School District, who took second place in the bee. Third place went to Connie Wang, a sixth grader at Brandon School, also in Goleta. Her winning word was claustrophobia.

For the first time ever, there were 28 students still standing in the elementary final round.

In the secondary division, first place winner Shelbi Hrkach, an eighth grader at Olive Grove Charter School in the Los Olivos School District, saw no need to contradict the judges and correctly spelled oppugn to take the top prize. Liesl Sullano, an eighth grader at Cuyama Elementary School, took second place by spelling millennium. Third place went to eighth grader Monica Illes, also from Jonata School in Buellton, who spelled imbroglio.

The two top winners in each division will proceed to the state level. The 2006 Elementary State Spelling Bee will be held May 20 at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park. The State Junior High spelling Bee will be held May 13 in San Rafael.

Further information is available from Rose Kohler at 964-4710, ext. 5222.