Nyssa seventh grade student Alexis Camarillo, smiles moments after she was crowned the overall winner at the Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School, Thursday, March 14. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)
NYSSA – There is a new Malheur County Spelling Bee champion.
Nyssa seventh-grade student Alexis Camarillo clinched top honors at the eighth annual event at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 14.
Camarillo won by spelling the word hydrate. With the win, Camarillo claimed a $500 prize.
That came after a marathon eighth-grade competition that pitted Nyssa’s Christian Martinez against Lilly Anderson, the 2023 Malheur County Spelling Bee champion. Martinez won after more than 30 rounds and earned a slot in the finals.
Yet in the finals, Vale third-grader Katy Wolfe won second place overall and Nyssa’s Sylvia Draper, a fifth-grader, claimed third.
“It went extremely well. This is the highest number of students we’ve had,” said Matt Murray, organizer of the event for the Nyssa School District and former principal of Nyssa Elementary School.
He said 102 students from 19 schools participated in the spelling bee.
Camarillo reached the finals by successfully spelling the words jeopardy, contemptible, silicon and malignant in the seventh-grade spelling bee.
She said she was excited to win.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to have this opportunity,” said Camarillo.
She competed in the spelling bee previously as a fifth-grader and a sixth-grader.
Going into the competition, Camarillo said she was nervous.
“I overthink my words,” she explained.
Camarillo, 13, said she was surprised – and confident – when the judges in the finals gave her the word hydrate.
“I knew I had it,” she said.
Camarillo said her success was possible because of hours of hard work. She said she studied with her father for about an hour a day over six weeks.
She said she plans to use the $500 prize “to help my family out.”
Camarillo said she enjoyed the spelling bee.
“I was happy about being with my family and competing with other schools in my grade level,” she said.
Christian Martinez, Nyssa, reacts to winning the eighth grade spelling competition at the eighth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee, Thursday, March 14, at Nyssa Elementary School. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)A competitor at the eighth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee reacts as a fellow competitor spells out a word, Thursday, March 14. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)A parent listens as her student spells out a word at the eighth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School, Thursday, March 14. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)Young spelling bee competitors reflect on the competition at the eighth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School, Thursday, March 14. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)Vale third grade student Katy Wolfe gives the judges a smile as she prepares to spell out a word during the finals of the Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School, Thursday, March 14. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)Matt Murray, federal programs director and former principal of Nyssa Elementary School, confers with judges during the eighth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee Thursday, March 14. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)A judge congratulates one of the competitors at the Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School, Thursday, March 14. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)Vale’s Katy Wolfe spells out a word during the finals of the eighth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School, Thursday, March 14. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)Judges kept meticulous notes during the competition. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)A sizeable crowd attended the eighth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School, Thursday, March 14. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)Willowcreek Elementary School fourth grade student Braydon Jones rolls through the proper spelling of a word at the eighth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School, Thursday, March 14. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)An Adrian competitor listens intently as a judge tells him the word he must spell during the eighth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee Thursday, March 14. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)Each competitor, armed with their spelling knowledge, walked up to the microphone and waited for their word to spell at the eighth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee Thursday, March 14. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)A young student eyes the competition at the eighth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee Thursday, March 14. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)Each student brought high hopes to the eighth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)
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