PORT ANGELES — “Compromise” and “sheriff” won the Port Angeles All-City spelling bees.
The annual bee, sponsored by Soroptimist International Port Angeles Jet Set and the Friends of the North Olympic Library System, included two competitions — the first for fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students, and the second for seventh- and eighth-grade students. The bees were held Friday at the Vern Burton Community Center.
James Burkhardt, seventh-grade student at Steven Middle School, placed first in the middle-level bee by spelling the word “compromise” correctly. Emma Riffle, a Stevens Middle eighth-grade student, placed second.
At the elementary level, Jacob Miller, a sixth-grade student from Dry Creek Elementary, finished first by spelling “sheriff” correctly. Isaac Burnham, a fifth-grade student from Roosevelt Elementary, placed second.
This bee marks the third consecutive year that Burkhardt has won first place. Last year, he spelled “calmness” correctly, winning the elementary-level bee as a sixth-grader. He won the elementary bee as a fifth-grader, spelling “courageous” then.
Each of the top two winners in both divisions received a “bee” trophy and bookbags filled with prizes donated by the Friends of the North Olympic Library System.
Students from Port Angeles School District elementary and middle schools — Dry Creek, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson and Roosevelt elementary schools, and Stevens Middle School — Queen of Angels private school and Crescent School participated.
Finalists participated in spell-downs in their respective classrooms and advanced to the annual all-city bee.
Here are the bees’ participating finalists and alternates. Several alternates participated in the final bee.
Elementary school bee
• Dry Creek Elementary — Miller, Mikayla Decou, Ava Francis, Payton King and Robert Ramsey, with alternates Peyton Watson, Grace Hales, Angelina Maldonado, Payton Cagey and Trae Hanan.
• Hamilton Elementary — Violet Mills, Allison Johnson and Lydia Wallace, with alternates Reid Schmidt, Tanner Flores and Jeremiah Woods.
• Jefferson Elementary — Mason Brooks, Jack Slaczka, Javen Descala, Shayla Partridge, Mikala Simpson-Thompson and Cami Bohman, with alternates Fiona Burk, Jaden Quinonez, Analisya Juarez, Mya Osorio, Dayton Williams and Josephine Hayes.
• Roosevelt Elementary — Burnham, Malachai Newitt, Jackson Wyall, Cole Beeman, Kaeden Indelicato, Vaidehi Patel, Marcus DeGroote, Kaleb Mullen, Jessiah Yeater, Gabby Montana, Aurian Wyall, Berniece Harris and Gus Halberg, with alternates Aidan McCormick, Brazen Harris, Grace Burkhardt, Carter Shearer, Joseph Ritchie, Abby Perkins, Jacob Hendricks, Ashton Thomas and Liberty Lauer.
• Crescent School — Irene Criel with alternate Kayley Willard.
• Queen of Angels — Jasmine Jackson, Sarah Hancock, Ali Money, Drake Austin and Emerson DuBois with alternates Anna Petty, Jessica Jackson and David Murphy-Gase.
Middle school bee
• Stevens Middle School — Burkhardt and Riffle, Ethan Michaelis, Olivia Wray, Cody Woods, Jazmyne Wilhelm, Mason Balch, Gracie Townsend, Daniel Cable, Deondrey Eastman, Bryce Williams, Jais Chargingwhirlwind, Jaeden Platt, Porter Litle, Brittany Clark, Connor Judy, Lyllian Woods, Damon Berglund, Tarun Seera, Quanah Wheeler, Caden Aacosta, Lonnie Steele and Ellie Decker.
• Queen of Angels — Adriana McClain and NaTasha Zavodny, with alternates Abby Austin and Connor Burnette.
