Tonalea, Ingleside Students Out-spell Peers at District Bees
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Jan. 29, 2025) – Powered by nerves and French pastries, two Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) middle school students claimed the district’s annual Spelling Bee championships last week. On Jan. 23, Tonalea Middle School eighth grade student Fabian Marquez Rodriguez won the SUSD Spanish Spelling Bee, followed the next day by Ingleside Middle School sixth grader Landry Bruyere, who claimed the District Spelling Bee title. Both events were held at Coronado High School.
Fabian outdueled 19 other spellers through nine rounds before going head-to-head against Cheyenne Traditional School’s Addison Fineberg for six more. Llave, which means key, was his winning word.
Cheyenne 8th graders Kaitlin Ophaug and Camden Crider finished in third and fourth place, respectively.
“It’s my first time so I was like really nervous,” shared Fabian of his spelling bee experience. “I was like, ‘What am I going to do?’” He credits his Spanish teacher, Ivan Chango, with convincing him to go through with it. “I need my high school Spanish credit,” he explained with a chuckle.
Fabian is headed to Coronado High School in the fall, where he’s considering joining the school’s award-winning marching band. “I don’t know any of the instruments, but I think it would be fun to play at football games.”
Chango says he is thrilled that four students from his Spanish I class took part in last Thursday’s Bee and that Fabian overcame his hesitation.
“Fabian is a hardworking student who not only excels academically but also demonstrates remarkable dedication to his violin studies,” Chango added. “His commitment to his passions is inspiring, and I know he’s looking forward to the exciting opportunities that await him at Coronado next year.”
The following day, 24 spellers from SUSD’s elementary, K-8 and middle schools took the auditorium stage in their pursuit of the District Spelling Bee title. After 15 rounds, it was Ingleside’s Landry who remained standing, fending off five rounds of one-on-one spelling against Cheyenne seventh grader
Trystan Zapfe. His winning word was astringent but admits consternation in Round 14 nearly threw him for a loop.
“My heart rate was a constant 150,” Landry shared afterwards, but said he felt prepared. His advice for future Bee participants? “Definitely read through the list. Just read through it, and right before the Spelling Bee, eat madeleines.”
Proud mother Rachel Bruyere says her 11-year-old son spellchecks her own work. “He’s always liked to read and has a large vocabulary, always asking what words mean, so it’s not super-surprising he did well, but he’s worked really hard to get here.”
Headed to the 9 a.m., Feb. 11 Region II Spelling Bee with Landry and Trystan are Redfield Elementary School fourth grader Aydon Morales and fifth graders Brynne Tadano from Desert Canyon, Isabella Giovando from Yavapai and Jack Loback from Kiva Elementary schools.
The winner of the regional bee, which will be conducted at the Cactus Shadows Fine Arts Center, 33606 N. 60th St., Scottsdale, heads to the Arizona Educational Foundation® Arizona Spelling Bee on March 15 at the Madison Center for the Arts, 5601 N. 16th St., Phoenix. That competition’s top two spellers will represent Arizona in the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee May 27 – 29 in suburban Washington, D.C.
The SUSD Foundation provides the registration fee funding that allows SUSD schools to participate in the local events that lead to the national bee, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
In 2019, Desert Canyon Middle School sixth grader Omkar Bharath won the state bee and competed in the national contest.
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About the Scottsdale Unified School District With more than 20,000 students in 30 schools, the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) has been a premier choice for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public education for 128 years. Located northeast of metropolitan Phoenix, the District serves the educational needs of students and families in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Tempe and Scottsdale. A highly experienced, professionally certified teaching staff fosters a diverse and rigorous educational environment that engages all students in world-class, future-focused learning. Offering gifted learning, special education, career and technical education, and a variety of athletics, arts and enrichment programs and clubs, SUSD provides the rich environment today’s students need to explore their interests, develop important social skills and grow into tomorrow’s leaders. For more information, visit www.susd.org and follow along on social media: Facebook: @ScottsdaleUSD, Instagram: @ScottsdaleUnifiedSD, LinkedIn and YouTube.
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