The Jefferson Davis County District Spelling Bee was held Feb. 9 at the Academic Success Center in Carson. This is the district’s first spelling bee since 2020 and was made up of students from J. E. Johnson Elementary, G. W. Carver Elementary and Jefferson Davis County Middle School in grades 2-7. The competition returns as part of the “Every Jag Reads” initiative, encouraging students to build their vocabularies at an early age.

G. W. Carver Elementary fourth grade student Caleb White won the bee.

“It’s obvious that young Caleb is a reader, because you had to have read the words to know how to spell them,” said Haynes. “So, ‘Every Jag Reads,’ getting kids to increase their vocabulary and become avid and willing spellers is what this is all about; brain development and vocabulary development. ”

Caleb gained the lead by spelling the word infrared. He then had to spell a championship word correctly in order to take the win. After spelling encompass correctly, he was awarded the trophy.

Second place winner was J. E. Johnson fifth grader Kyleigh Thornton and the third place winner was Ra’Nyah Duncan who is also a fifth grader at J. E. Johnson. Other participants were Cayden Young, second grader at G. W. Carver; La’Rosa Bryant, fifth grader at G. W. Carver; Kaylee Adams, fifth grader at J. E. Johnson; Melody Lee, JDCMS sixth grader; Jayla Reese JDCMS seventh grader and Konnor Sims, JDCMS seventh grader.

White advances to the state spelling bee to be held at Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, on March 3 and 4.

Judges included retired and active educators.