Cadi Corn, the third time Malheur County Spelling Bee champion, adjusts her medal during the awards ceremony at Nyssa Elementary following the competition on Thursday, March 12. Corn correctly spelled “atrocity” during the final bee. (The Enterprise/Joe Siess)
NYSSA – The room was silent as the now three time Malheur County Spelling Bee champion Cadi Corn slowly approached the mic during the seventh-grade bee.
People leaned in as Corn spelled out her final word.
“Attagirl,” Corn said with her hands folded in front of her. “A T T A G I R L, attagirl,” she repeated with confidence.
“That is correct,” said the moderator.
Someone in the audience gasped and then the room applauded for Corn as she advanced to the final bee.
Corn then won the final bee after spelling “atrocity”, launching her to her third consecutive spelling bee win.
Corn, a seventh-grader from Nyssa Middle School, will travel to Washington, D.C. to represent Malheur County in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May. Last year, Corn placed in the top 200 in the national bee.
Take a look at the words from the final bee. Could you spell these words on the spot?
Atrocity, blizzard, brigand, causeway, cellular, cement, crampon, destroy, experiment, faithful, frill, gargoyle, gaunt, hamstring, happiest, intimation, jeer, lacuna, leash, meander, mince, monomania, multiplex, oath, proviso, ribbon, sabotage, sherpa, soccer, strenuous, tabasco, trainer, without, yawn.
Anika Swetland, a seventh-grader from Ontario Middle School, thinks about how to spell a word during the Malheur County Spelling Bee on Thursday, March 12. (The Enterprise/Joe Siess)
The top spellers in Malheur County pose for a picture after receiving awards during a ceremony in Mac Hall at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 12. (The Enterprise/Joe Siess)
Sylvia Draper, the first grade champion speller from Cairo Elementary School, spells out a word during her turn in the final bee. (The Enterprise/Joe Siess)
Max Rodriguez, second grade champion from Cairo Elementary School, takes his turn in the final bee. (The Enterprise/Joe Siess)
Cara Zacharias from Vale, the eighth-grade bee winner, waits for moderators to give her a word to spell during her turn in the final bee. (The Enterprise/Joe Siess)
Ricky Rodelo, third grade champion from Nyssa Elementary School; Layne Barrett, fourth grade champion from Arock; and Cadi Corn, the seventh grade champion and top speller in Malheur County for the third consecutive year from Nyssa Middle School, await their turns to spell. (The Enterprise/Joe Siess)
News tip? Contact reporter Joe Siess: [email protected] or 541-473-3377.
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