Fourth and fifth grade students were all buzzing Wednesday morning, January 20^th, as Big Sandy Elementary School students vied for first-place in the school level spelling bee.

Daniel Pritchett, Director of Curriculum and Special Programs at Big Sandy ISD, called out words to the spellers and Lance Morrow, Assistant Principal, judged.

There were 16 participants in all.  These students sat on the stage in the auditorium then stood and spelled one-by-one, passing to the next round with a correct and taking a seat in the audience if they received an incorrect from the judge.

All who participated received a certificate.  First Place went to Laney and, Second Place went to Sydnee.

The winner will move to a county competition placing her one step closer to the 52nd Annual Dallas Morning News Regional Spelling Bee.

The Spelling Bee is open to all 4th through 8th grade public, private, parochial, home and charter school students in the 38-county Dallas region.

The Dallas Region is made up of 38 North and East Texas counties. They include: Anderson, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Ellis, Fannin, Franklin, Freestone, Grayson, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Hill, Hopkins, Hunt, Kaufman, Lamar, Limestone, Marion, Morris, Navarro, Panola, Rains, Red River, Rockwall, Rusk, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt and Wood. Each county may send one champion to the Regional Spelling Bee, except Dallas County, which may send two champions - one from the public schools and one from the private schools.

The Regional Champion will win an all-expense paid trip for two to Washington, D.C., to compete in the National Spelling Bee.