News Release

March 6, 2001

Goleta students take top three honors in countywide spelling bee

Students from the Goleta Union School District took the top two places in the elementary level of the Santa Barbara County Spelling Bee competition and will proceed to represent the county at the state competition.

A Goleta Valley Junior High School student took first place in the junior high division, followed by a student from Crane School.

Julia Cooperman, a fifth grader at Kellogg School, took top elementary honors by spelling the word "languor." Samantha Bohn, a sixth grader at El Camino School, took second place by spelling "iconoclast." Third place went to Andrea Matthews, a sixth grader at Monte Vista School, who correctly spelled "imperceptible."

The top two elementary school winners will compete at the state competition on May 5 at Sonoma State University.

At the junior high level, top honors went to Sue Lin, a seventh grader at Goleta Valley Junior High, who correctly spelled "detritus." Second place went to Leah Silverstein, an eighth grader at Crane School, who spelled "beguile." Jamie Bovshow, a seventh grader at Santa Barbara Junior High, took third place by correctly spelling "faux."

The top two junior high school winners will compete at the state competition on March 30 at the Marin County Office of Education.

Further information is available from Lupie Vickery at the county education office, 964-4711, ext. 5264.