Kristin Towe, a fifth grade student at Pepperell Elementary School, has won the District One Spelling Bee and will advance to the state finals.  The district competition was held Saturday, February 23, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at the Floyd County Schools central office building.  The spelling competition featured the best spellers from area school systems and home schools. 

The academic competition lasted a grueling 12 rounds ending with Kristin correctly spelling “siege” and “malice.”  Kristin, the 2008 spelling champion of Floyd County Schools, prepared for the spell-offs by reading the dictionary.   Her mom Tara Towe said that the two sit on the couch with the dictionary and practice spelling words.  Kristin also credits her teacher, Ms. Stacy Thompson, for helping her to be a good speller.  She said, “Ms. Thompson gives us really hard words and helps us a lot with our spelling.”

Kristin displayed a very deliberate spelling style taking her time to complete the spelling of the word she was given in each round.  It may have seemed that she was hesitant but she had a plan.  “I was saying a lot of little prayers up there,” she said as she explained her technique.  “Some of the words I had to work them out in my head and use my imaginary pencil to spell them out.”

Kristin Towe will now represent Pepperell Elementary, Floyd County Schools, and District One in the Georgia Spelling Bee held on March 21, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at Georgia State University in Atlanta.