PORT ANGELES — Correct spellings of “calmness” and “granola” clinched the contests for the top winners of the All-City Spelling Bee, one of whom won first place for the second consecutive year.
James Burkhardt, sixth-grade student at Roosevelt Elementary, placed first in the elementary-level bee by spelling the word “calmness” correctly.
He won the elementary bee last year as a fifth-grader when he spelled “courageous” correctly.
At the middle school level, Abby Austin, a seventh-grade student from Queen of Angels Catholic School, finished first by spelling “granola” correctly.
The Port Angeles citywide bee was Wednesday at the Vern Burton Community Center.
Second-place winners were Jasmine Jackson, a fifth-grade student at Queen of Angels School, in the elementary-level bee and Richard Lightfoot, an eighth-grade student from Stevens Middle School, in the middle school bee.
Students from Port Angeles School District elementary and middle schools — Dry Creek, Hamilton, Jefferson and Roosevelt elementary schools and Stevens Middle School — as well as students from Queen of Angels Catholic School, participated in the bee.
The annual bee is sponsored by Soroptimist International Port Angeles Jet Set and the Friends of the North Olympic Library System.
It includes two contests — one in which students from the fourth, fifth and sixth grades compete and another for seventh- and eighth-grade students.
Each of the top two winners in both divisions received a trophy and bookbags filled with prizes donated by the Friends of the North Olympic Library System.
Finalists participated in spell-downs in their respective class and school bees, and advanced to the annual all-city bee.
Several alternates participated in the spelling bees.
Participants, alternates
■ Dry Creek Elementary — Finalists: Layla White, Mikayla DeCou, Khia Schoenfeldt, Paige Mason, Hailey Christiansen, Thomas Arand, Allison Johnson and Dillon Reynolds; alternate: Jacob Miller.
■ Hamilton Elementary — Finalists: Faith Carr, Liam Brown, Xander Maestas, Vanessa Flanagan, Jordyn Parsinen and Josephina Thompson-Jones; alternates: Taylor Wilhelm, Ruby Knoth and Olivia Wray.
■ Jefferson Elementary — Finalists: Kaleb Fortenberry, Jack Slaczka, Eljah Johnson, Joe Hill, Emi Halberg and Malachi Pharr; alternates: Kaden Lancaster, Jaden Quinonez, Richard Sanford, Tony Rueda, Kimberly Thompson and Jaylynn Hofer.
■ Roosevelt Elementary — Finalists: Burkhardt, Nicholas Benoit, Jamie Robinson, Octavia Smith, Isaac Burnham, Owen Riffle, Fern Knobel, Reef Gelder, Mikaya Haller, Jack Council and Jaz Livingston; alternates: Kamii Kolden, Bailey Robinson, Abby Perkins, Dahlia Dexter, Maliah Wilson, Aurian Wyall, Gabby Montana, Nicholas Benoit, Brooklynne Jacobs and Chloe Carter.
■ Queen of Angels — Finalists: Jackson, Brooklyn Spry and Connor Burnette; alternates: Becca VanDyken, Mackenzie Dubois and Rafael Flores.
Finalists and alternates in the middle school contest were:
■ Queen of Angels — Austin and Emily Sirguy; alternates: Aidan Braaten and Olivia Bay.
■ Stevens Middle School — Lightfoot, Carter Driz, Nathan Carroll, Blake Parker, Anthony Rosanbalm, Dane Deming, Donavyn Adams-Brousseau, Anna Gentry, Karson Nicpon, Cole Perkins, Katie Cobb, Maxine Waddell, Marissa Lofgren, Bostyn Fisler, Derek Bowechop, Bryce Williams and Bodi Sanderson.
