Jennie K. Kolter Elementary School

KOLTER SPELLING BEE

 You Better BEE-lieve It!
by Bryna Kennedy

   Alicja Zapalska, Kolter Elementary School’s proud champion speller

First runner-up, fifth grader Aku Belay 

      Jackson Brownstein spells his heart out, as Bernice Tsao,
Tianna Kelly, and Michael Mangum await their turns at the microphone.

“Gallant.  G-A-L-L-A-N-T.  Gallant.”  Suddenly, the hushed cafeteria erupts in feverish applause.  It’s not video games.  It’s not sports.  It’s spelling.  And it has hundreds of Kolter Elementary School students spellbound. 

Kolter’s annual school-wide Spelling Bee was a resounding success.  Twenty of the school’s best spellers competed for the chance to go on to HISD’s West Region Spelling Bee.  The competition was tough.  The stakes were high.  Finally, it came down to two.  First runner-up was fifth grader Aku Belay.  Alicja Zapalska, a fourth grader, was declared the victor.

Photo Credit: Christie Harrison