DURHAM -- Can you spell c-o-n-g-r-a-t-u-l-a-t-i-o-n-s?
Even if you can't you can be certain that this year's Durham Public Schools' Spelling Bee finalists can.
DPS recently honored its 39 elementary and middle school spelling bee winners for their advancement to the Scripps Regional Spelling Bee at 9 a.m. Saturday.
The regional spelling bee is sponsored for the second straight year by Duke University's Office of Durham and Regional Affairs and will take place at Page Auditorium on West Campus.
Champion spellers from elementary and middle schools across Durham and Orange counties will be participating.
The event is free and open to the public.
The winner of the regional spelling bee will compete in the 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee championship in Washington, D.C., in June.
Here's a list of Durham's winners and the schools they're representing.
- Rishita Kaushik, Bethesda Elementary School
- Kaela Sung, Brogden Middle School
- Adrian Carabana, Burton Elementary School
- Joseph Jackson, C.C. Spaulding Elementary School
- Laurina Bird, Carrington Middle School
- Jesus Ayala Lara, Chewning Middle School
- Henry Green, Club Boulevard Humanities Magnet School
- Ian Clark, Creekside Elementary School
- Simisola Gbadegesin, Durham School of the Arts
- Ryan Odom, E.K. Powe Elementary School
- Hannah Hawkins, Easley Elementary School
- Lajuane Southerland, Eastway Elementary School
- Aaryanna Henry, Eno Valley Elementary School
- Kennedy Elkerson, Fayetteville Street Elementary School
- Carter Owen, Forest View Elementary School
- Osaze Osagie, George Watts Montessori Magnet School
- Yasir Shakur, Glenn Elementary School
- Jacob Bowers, Hillandale Elementary School
- James Vollers, Holt Elementary School
- Maria Henriquez, Hope Valley Elementary School
- Oyindamola Ajasa, Lakewood Elementary School
- John Cantrell Saylor, Lakewood Montessori Middle School
- Noah Quick, Little River Elementary School
- Bryce Dudley, Lowe's Grove Middle School
- Carter Hall, Mangum Elementary School
- Hannah Hall, Merrick-Moore Elementary School
- Michelle Armendariz Rivas, Morehead Montessori Elementary School
- Ruth Baakoi, Neal Middle School
- Shunwel Reid, Oak Grove Elementary School
- Tanzeel Khan, Parkwood Elementary School
- Mya Daniel, Pearsontown Elementary School
- Dominka Lee, R.N. Harris Elementary School
- Nina Schwing, Rogers-Herr Middle School
- Jade Robertson, Shepard Magnet School
- Kaylee Sciacca, Sherwood Githens Middle School
- Connor Voorhees, Southwest Elementary School
- Hannah Potochnik, Spring Valley Elementary School
- Edward "Ned" Swansey, W.G. Pearson Elementary School
- Jordan Bermudez, W.G. Pearson Middle School
- Allyssa Short, Y.E. Smith Elementary School
The Durham Public Schools and Duke University News Service contributed to this report.
