Reiffton and Junior High students MUSCLED through an intense competition as they SQUEEZED the spellings of some NEWFANGLED words from their brains several days ago as they competed in this year’s annual Spelling Bee. To become a CHAMPION, contestants had to not LOLLYGAG, be FLABBERGASTED or make a MISTAKE as they SOLDIERED through 30 rounds of words at Reiffton, and 15 at the Junior High. In the end, Veer Patel (5th grade) and Kevin Speakman (8th grade) FENDED off their COHORTS to win the spelling POWWOW to thunderous APPLAUSE from the audience. Their IMPECCABLE spelling and EFFECTUAL performance will allow them both to TREK to the 5th Annual Diamond City Regional Spelling Bee in Wilkes-Barre on March 16th.

Other students competing in this year’s JHS Bee were: Madeline Bender, Colette Jordan, Abigail Kilareski, Chloe Liu, Timothy Miller, Rinith Musuku and Hakim Tounsi. At Reiffton, they were: Mohammad Zahid, Nolan Fayewicz, Edlyn Sherpa, Aaron Kravetz, Tenley Oldham and Wednesday Merwin. Congratulations to all of our SENSATIONAL EAGLES!