Sand Mountain Reporter

D.J. Whitley correctly spelled the 83rd word in Friday’s Marshall County Spelling Bee to win the championship.

“Patina” — a fine crust or film on bronze or copper, usually green or greenish-blue, formed by natural oxidation — was the winning word as D.J., a sixth-grader at Brindlee Mountain, clinched a trip to the state spelling bee.

It was his first year at the county bee after falling short of his school title the past two years.

“I just wanted to try it, for fun,” he said.

He led a field of 17 school winners from across the county. Arab Junior High sixth-grader Jack Mullins was second after missing a word in the 15th round. Organizers said it took more words than in past years to find a winner.

Arab Elementary fourth-grader Jeremy Plunkett finished third, Douglas Middle seventh-grader Laura Gaspar was fourth, and Boaz Intermediate fourth-grader Brett Maltbie was fifth.

D.J. said “macadamia” in the second round was his biggest challenge.

“I couldn’t find out if the second-to-last ‘a’ was an ‘a’ or an ‘e,’” he said.

He moves on to the Alabama Spelling Bee in Hoover on March 7. The state champion will compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington this summer.

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Serving Albertville and the Sand Mountain region

Publisher: Ben Shurett

1603 Progress Drive
Albertville, Alabama 35950

Tel: 256-840-3000 | Email

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