On May 22, the elementary department held their second annual Academy Spelling Bee. Thirty students in grades 3-6 participated and proved themselves to be some truly fantastic spellers.
Mrs. Holland felt she had enough words for the entire contest when she started the spelling bee. However, this talented group of students didn't miss a word in the first three rounds of competition. To ensure she had enough material to challenge the students, Mrs. Holland had to find additional, more difficult words partway through the event. By the time the spelling bee ended, the students 
made it through the majority of the 7th grade words that were added. These students certainly used the talents that they were blessed with.
Our spelling bee champion for 2013 is 5th grader Liam Bartlett. Liam is ten years old and lives in Maine with his parents and two brothers. He lived in Shanghai, China for three years with his family and can speak Mandarin. In his free time, Liam likes to play soccer, baseball, and the piano. His favorite foods include cheddar cheese snack mix and egg salad sandwiches. Liam also participated on a Bible Quiz team with his brothers this past year and took first place! His mother says that even though he is an excellent speller, Liam asked for God's help and guidance during the spelling bee. What a great example of the power of prayer.