Fifth grader emerges as champion
Excitement filled the Watervliet Elementary School gym as fourth and fifth grade classroom champions faced off in this year’s annual spelling bee. Twenty students earned their place in the competition, representing the best spellers from each classroom and bringing their focus, confidence, and vocabulary skills to the stage.
The audience was on the edge of their seats as each round narrowed the field during the bee, which lasted an impressive 10 rounds and featured a total of 80 words, each one more challenging than the last. Participants spelled everything from common words, like “ahead” and “sweet” to lesser known words, like “rakish” and “prattling.”
After a hard-fought contest, Zainab Arshad, a fifth-grade student from Amanda Gabrione’s class, spelled two final words “emporium” and “eccentric” consecutively to emerge as the 2026 WES spelling bee champion. Two talented fourth graders, Aliyanna Smith and James Polaro, earned runner-up honors—showcasing remarkable skill and determination.
WES Assistant Principal Meg Maset presided over the bee as the official pronouncer, while Superintendent of Schools Dr. Donald Stevens, Board of Education President Mary Beth Whited and Director of School Accountability, Programs and UPK Kirsten DeMento served as judges.
Congratulations to all participants for their outstanding effort—and a special round of applause to this year’s champions for a spelling bee to remember! Thank you to the families, friends, teachers and students who attended the bee to support the spellers! 🐝📚
Spelling Bee Classroom Champions
After finishing as the top two spellers in their individual classrooms, the following students qualified to compete in the annual schoolwide spelling bee on Friday, Jan. 16.
- Grade 4: Brock Bennett, Syed Haider, Aliyanna Smith, Madeliena Osborne, Alex Fernandez Jr, Mason Frye, Norah Vogel, Hassan, James Polaro, Eelo Advincula
- Grade 5: Julie Trucello, Ever Elliott, Zainab Arshad, Emilson Cabrera-Corea, Kaden Pankow, Amelia Wass, Lincoln Gilligan, Raegan Dlugas, Elias Britos-Gutierrez, Amir Harden