To students in eighth grade and below with a passion for words and language, March Madness has a very different meaning. March marks the beginning of spelling bee season, and the first stops on the road to the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Four Waterloo students recently took their first big strides towards spelling glory by placing in the top two of the spelling bees held at LaFayette Intermediate School and Waterloo Middle School.

Fifth-grader Chelsey Santiago clinched the LaFayette Spelling Bee crown in the sixth round by correctly spelling the word “ebony.” Fifth-grader Victor Beers placed second, and was named the alternate for the Regional Spelling Bee.

In the Waterloo Middle School Spelling Bee, it took a staggering 13 rounds to crown a champion. Seventh grader Soccorsa Storti would eventually claim the title after correctly spelling the word “appointment.” Sixth grader Alannah Cuffe was named the alternate for the Regional Spelling Bee after placing second. 

Chelsey and Soccorsa will represent Waterloo CSD at the Regional Spelling Bee, which will take place March 21 at Palmyra-Macedon High School in Palmyra. The winners of that Spelling Bee will compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee May 26-28 in Washington D.C. 

Congratulations to all of this year’s spellers!