Richland School in Crest Hill announces winner of junior high school spelling bee

CREST HILL – Eighth grader Andres Reyes to won Richland Junior High School’s annual spelling bee, narrowly beating eighth grader Chibueze Onyenemezu, who received second place this year.

In third place was seventh grader Syed Bokhari. Onyenemezu and Reyes were both returning school champions. Onyenemezu won last year’s Bee, and Reyes won the Bee two years earlier as a sixth grader.

The Bee was open to sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students and is part of the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee program. A total of 25 students participated in the school Bee, although other spelling activities were completed by all students in the classroom in preparation for the final.

The event, held at the school on Dec. 17, was attended by junior high students, parents, and faculty. Michael Early, District 88A superintendent, served as pronouncer and moderator.

Reyes will represent Richland at the Will County Regional Bee, which will be held at Lockport East High School on March 5. The winner of that bee will compete in the National Bee in Washington, D.C., later this spring.