Hello students.

My name is Janice Allen, a 75 year resident of Las Vegas and a sponsor of the Vegas PBS Kids Writers Contest, presented by Janice Allen.

I want to congratulate all of you for making it this far in the Spelling Bee.

I remember many years ago participating in a spelling bee when I was your age, and I have some very fond memories.

Best of luck to all of you, and keep up the good work.

♪♪♪ (Nathan Tannenbaum) Hello, and welcome.

This is the 2022-2023 Clark County School District Spelling Bee Finals.

It is an honor for me to be your host.

I'm Nathan Tannenbaum.

So this Final Bee is actually taking place in three separate bees.

There's one for the 6th grade, one for the 7th, and for the 8th.

The students today, well, they have spelled their way through several levels of competition before reaching this Final Bee.

Way back in August, they competed in a written spelling bee.

They were named the grade level champion at their specific middle and junior high schools.

Then in September, they participated.

It was another written bee, but this was along with the best spellers from throughout their grade level throughout the Clark County School District.

Then in November, they were here at Vegas PBS earning their spot here as one of the top seven students from their grade level.

So today, we're going to spell down until we have our first and second place spellers within each grade.

Those two top spellers from the bee today are going to help represent the Clark County School District in the Nevada State Spelling Bee that's going to take place in March.

What do you say we give these young men and women a round of applause?

They are awesome!

Yea!

(applause) Also, we want you to meet the amazing judges who are helping us today representing the Clark County School District and our community.

We have Trustee Linda Cavazos, a School Board Member representing District G; Eric Gant, he's the Executive Director of the Department of Adult Education; and Jeff Williams, the Coordinator of Fine Arts.

All right.

Let's get this bee underway with these bright young men and women, starting here in the 6th grade.

And our first speller is from Greenspun Junior High School, Julien Lingat.

Come on down.

Your first spelling word is "addition."

In addition to pizza, they also ordered wings.

(Julien Lingat) Addition, a-d-d-i-t-i-o-n, addition.

-And, yes, that's correct.

Julien, have a seat.

We'll bring you back next time.

And here is Rhys Sash from White Middle School.

Hi, Rhys.

-Here is your first spelling word.

It is "decimal."

Day of the week as represented by one decimal digit.

-Decimal, d-e-c-i-m-a-l, decimal.

-Yes.

Thanks, Rhys.

That brings us to Olive Morgan.

Come on down.

Olive is from Miller Middle School.

Olive, here's your first spelling word.

It's "graphic."

Even if you're not a graphic designer, you can still have a good looking blog.

(Olive Morgan) Graphic, g-r-a-p-h-i-c, graphic.

-That is correct.

Good job, Olive.

That brings us to Caleb Boss.

Come on up, Caleb.

Caleb is from Lyon Middle School.

And, Caleb, your first spelling word is "badge."

Security requires all workers to show a badge .

(Caleb Boss) Badge, b-a-d-g-e, badge.

-Yes.

Good job, Caleb.

Have a seat.

We'll see you next ground.

And here is Cielo Asuncion from Swainston.

Hi, Cielo.

Here's your first spelling word.

It's "cafeteria."

The cafeteria doesn't have the same ambiance as a restaurant.

(Cielo Asuncion) Cafeteria, c-a-f-e-t-e-r-i-a.

-And say the word one more time so we know you're done.

-Cafeteria.

-There you go.

Good job, Cielo.

All right.

Here comes Michaela Ashinhurst from Becker Middle School.

Hi, Michaela.

Here's your first spelling word.

It is "headache."

She stormed out, blood pulsing headache growing.

(Michaela Ashinhurst) Headache, h-e-a-d-a-c-h-e, headache.

-Yes.

Good job, Mikayla.

And here's Emma McClanahan.

Hi, Emma.

Emma's from Lied Middle School.

I've got your first spelling word, Emma.

It is "initial."

Forensic investigators' initial thoughts were that there was no foul play.

(Emma McClanahan) I-n-i-t-i-a-l, initial.

-Very good.

Just remember to say the word first before you spell it, but you are correct and you're good.

Have a seat there, Emma.

You're good.

All right.

That's one round of spelling.

That brings us back to the beginning.

And it's Julien.

Come on back down, Julien.

I've got your next spelling word.

It is "idiom."

The expression "give way," as in a "retreat," well, that's an example of an idiom .

-Idiom, i-d-i-o-m, idiom.

-Yes.

Thanks, Julien.

Have a seat.

Rhys, come on back down.

Got your second spelling word.

It is "capacity."

When the restaurant exceeded capacity with an extra large crowd, they got fined.

-Capacity, c-a-p-a-c-i-t-y, capacity.

-Yes.

Good job, Rhys.

We're back to Olive.

Come on down.

I've got your second spelling word.

It is "jeopardy."

Leonard's grade would be in jeopardy if he didn't finish his book report.

-Jeopardy, j-e-p-o-a-r-d-y, jeopardy.

-And that's incorrect.

Olive, you got your "O" on the other side of the "P." Jeopardy is j-e-o and then the p-a-r-d-y.

Have a seat over there.

We'll see what happens.

Thank you, Olive.

Next up is Caleb.

Come on up, Caleb.

I've got your next spelling word.

It is "alphabetical."

Their names are listed in alphabetical order.

-Alphabetical, a-l-p-h-a-b-e-t-i-c-a-l, alphabetical.

-Yes.

Good job, Caleb.

And we're on to Cielo.

Come on up, Cielo.

Your next spelling word is "liquefy."

Put the veggies in the blender to liquefy them.

-Liquefy, l-i-q-u-i-f-y, liquefy.

-And that's incorrect, Cielo.

There's an "E" there instead of an "I" at the end.

"Liquefy" is l-i-q-u-e-f-y.

So have a seat.

We'll see what happens here.

Thank you, Cielo.

Next up is Michaela.

-Your next spelling word is "elite."

Only the most elite golfers were chosen for the all-star team.

-Elite, e-l-i-t-e, elite.

-Yes.

Good job, Michaela.

And that brings us to Emma.

Emma, here's your next spelling word.

It is "summary."

In summary , the argument was related to two sides of an issue.

-Summary, s-u-m-m-a-r-y, summary.

-Yes.

All right, so we've completed two rounds of spelling.

Judges, I believe we're moving on to a round of vocabulary.

So Julien, come on up.

Remember, students, in vocabulary, I'm gonna give you a word, but you don't spell it.

I'm gonna give you two different statements about that word, and all you have to do is tell me whether you think "A" or "B" is the correct best description of the word.

Judges, we're going to start with Vocabulary Word Number 2.

And, Julien, here's your vocabulary word.

It is "molecule."

What is a molecule ?

A, the smallest unit of a compound or, B, a bundle or collection of items?

-"A."

-That is correct.

Good job, Julien.

-And our next vocabulary word is for Rhys.

Come on down, Rhys.

Your next spelling word is-- This is vocabulary.

My bad.

Your vocabulary word is "chandelier."

A chandelier is, A, the office responsible for judicial business or, B, a lighting fixture suspended from the ceiling?

-"B."

-It sure is.

Good job, Rhys.

Next vocabulary word belongs to Caleb.

Caleb, your vocabulary word is "savvy."

So something that's described as savvy is, A, unsophisticated and simple or, B, shrewd and practical.

-"B."

-You got it, Caleb.

Thank you.

Have a seat.

Michaela, you ready for your first vocabulary word?

Here it comes.

It is "valor."

What does it mean to have valor ?

A, the quality with which a person faces danger or, B, exaggerated or pathological reaction marked by sneezing.

-"A."

-Yes.

Good job, Michaela.

And here's Emma for your vocabulary word.

It is "obstinate."

A person described as obstinate , A, has a pillar-like body type or, B, stubbornly adheres to an opinion.

-"B."

-And that is correct.

So you guys have made it through two rounds of spelling, one round of vocabulary.

Judges, we're going back to spelling, right?

And I believe we're on Word Number 15?

Let's do it.

Julien, come on back down for your next spelling word.

It is "decathlon."

The runner was training for the decathlon all summer.

-Decathlon, d-e-c-a-t-h-e-l-o-n, decathlon.

-And that's incorrect.

You stuck an "E" in there where it didn't belong.

D-e-c-a-t-h-l-o-n.

So have a seat, Julien.

Let's see what happens.

Rhys, we have your next spelling word.

It is "advantageous."

The students thought it would be advantageous if they sought out volunteer opportunities.

-Advantageous, a-d-v-a-n-t-a-g-e-o-u-s, advantageous.

-Yes.

You got it, Rhys.

Have a seat.

Caleb, we've got another spelling word for you.

It is "fallacy."

Having money makes you happy is a fallacy because happiness has nothing to do with wealth.

-Fallacy, p-h-a-l-i-c-y, fallacy.

-And you got tripped up there, Caleb.

Fallacy is an "F" word.

It's f-a-l-l-a-c-y.

So have a seat.

We'll see what happens.

Good job, Caleb.

Thank you.

We move on to another spelling word for Michaela.

Come on up, Michaela.

Your next spelling word is "medallion."

Charlie bought a World War II medallion on eBay.

-Medallion, m-e-d-a-l-l-i-o-n, medallion.

-Yes.

Good job, Michaela.

Have a seat.

Got another spelling word here for Emma.

Emma, your word is "gondola."

While the couple visited Venice, they took a romantic ride in a gondola .

-Gondola, g-o-n-d-a-l-a, gondola.

-And that's incorrect, Emma.

Gondola is g-o-n-d-o-l-a.

Have a seat.

While our students are doing great here at the finals, we thought you might want to take a moment to go back and see how did they get from wherever they were here to the finals.

That brings us to Rhys from White Middle School.

Come on down, Rhys.

Your icebreaker word is "pinch."

I don't like it when my baby brother tries to pinch me.

-Pinch, p-i-n-c-h, pinch.

-Yes.

That's how easy it is.

Thanks, Rhys.

Thank you.

That brings us to Michaela.

Hi, Mckaela.

Nice to see you.

Here is your icebreaker word.

It's "breakfast."

Breakfast is Victoria's favorite meal of the day.

-Breakfast, b-r-e-a-k-f-a-s-t, breakfast.

-Yep.

That's how easy it is.

Thank you, Michaela.

That brings us to Rhys.

Step on up, Rhys.

Your first spelling word is "gathering."

The gathering of family is always enjoyable.

-Gathering, g-a-t-h-e-r-i-n-g, gathering.

-You got it.

Nice job, Rhys.

Well done.

And Michaela, here is your word.

It is "ambulance."

Sienna rode in an ambulance after she fell off her bike.

-Ambulance, a-m-b-u-l-a-n-c-e. -And if you're done, you got to say the word.

-Ambulance.

-Yeah.

Thank you so much.

Michaela, you get to go back to your seat.

Rhys, come on down.

-Your word is "salient."

A brief comparison with these will indicate its salient features.

-Salient, s-a-l-i-e-n-t, salient.

-Yes.

Good job, Rhys.

Michaela, I got another spelling word for you.

It is "bankruptcy."

An attorney can help with de bt settlement and bankruptcy.

-Bankruptcy, b-a-n-k-r-u-p-t-c-y, bankruptcy.

-Yes.

Good job, Michaela.

So if we could get our seven finalists, we want to take your picture because you guys are awesome!

Give these kids a round of applause!

( applause ) But I believe we have spelled down to our top two spellers in the 6th grade.

Let's give them a round of applause.

(applause) But you're not done yet, but you guys are going to the Nevada State Spelling Bee.

Rhys, I'm gonna have you come down next to the gray mark, and Michaela, you stand on the other side of the gray mark.

So you're both going to the Nevada State Spelling Bee.

Awesome!

Congratulations, but we're going to continue to have a spell down.

So one of you will be first place, one of you will be second place, but you're both going to the State Bee.

Judges, let's keep it going.

So Rhys, we have the next spelling word for you.

It is "palindrome."

The word "racecar" is a palindrome .

-"Palindrome," as in the thing that people with ibeophobia [phonetic] are scared of?

-I don't know about that, but we're sticking with spelling here.

-Okay.

Palindrome, p-a-l-i-n-d-r-o-m-e, palindrome.

-Yeah.

So stay standing right there.

You got that right.

And, Michaela, here is your next spelling word.

It is "finale."

Von Weber introduced an Arabian melody in the finale of the first movement of one of his pieces.

-Finale, f-i-n-a-l-e, finale.

-Yes.

All right, we're gonna keep going until we get one of you to miss one.

Rhys, here's your next one.

It's "nostalgia."

The middle-aged man held nostalgia for his days as a high school football star.

-Nostalgia, n-o-s-t-a-l-g-i-a.

-Say it when you're done.

-Nostalgia.

-Yes, good job.

All right, Michaela, your next spelling word.

"Equestrian."

The Nevada Equestrian Club gets together to ride horses twice a month.

-Equestrian, e-q-u-e-s-t-r-i-a-n, equestrian.

-And we're gonna keep rolling.

Good job.

That's correct.

Rhys, here's one for you.

"Perpetual."

The girl got suspended for her perpetual tardiness.

-Perpetual, p-e-r-p-e-t-u-a-l, perpetual.

-Yes.

All right, Michaela.

Here's one for you.

It's "rebellion."

The government asked for foreign assistance to suppress the rebellion .

-Rebellion, r-e-b-e-l-l-i-o-n, rebellion.

-Yes.

Okay, Rhys.

"Beleaguered."

Already in last place, the beleaguered team suffered another loss.

-Can I have a definition?

-Yeah.

To surround with an army so as to prevent escape.

-Can I have the language of origin?

-It is Dutch.

The word is "beleaguered."

-Beleaguered, b-e-l-e-a-g-e-r-e-d, beleaguered.

-So that's incorrect.

But you're not going anywhere, and you're still going to the Nevada State Spelling Bee.

And we'll have to see what happens with Michaela.

"Beleaguered" is b-e-l-e-a-g-u-e-r-e-d, but don't go anywhere.

Michaela, here's your next spelling word.

It is "rigorous."

Schools try to ensure that exams are rigorous .

-Rigorous, r-i-g-o-r-o-u-s, rigorous.

-And that is correct.

So Michaela, you are the 6th grade Spelling Bee champ.

And Rhys, you are the second place.

You're both going to the Nevada State Spelling Bee!

Congratulations!

(applause) ♪♪♪ And now we have our top seven spellers from the 7th grade.

Let's get started.

From Brinley Middle School, we say hello to Ricardo Castro-Cervantes.

Come on down, Ricardo.

Your first spelling word is "opinion."

She'd never had an opinion on bunk beds until this moment.

(Ricardo Castro-Cervantes) Opinion, o-p-i-n-i-o-n, opinion.

-Yes.

Good job, Ricardo.

Have a seat.

We'll bring you back out for your next word later.

Next up is Le'majion Holmes.

He's from Hyde Park Middle School.

Hi, Le'majion.

Your first spelling word is "minimize."

The words are arranged in random order to minimize contextual cues.

Minimize.

(Le'majion Holmes) Minimize, m-i-n-i-m-i-z-e, minimize.

-You got it.

Thanks, Le'majion.

That brings us to Lain Mitchell from White Middle School.

Hi, Lain.

Here's your first spelling word.

It's "citation."

The citation is important if you want to guide others to the listing or plan to publish your work.

(Lain Mitchell) Citation, c-i-t-a-t-i-o-n, citation.

-Yes.

Thanks, Lain.

And here's Asher Battle-Perryman from Fremont Middle School.

Hi, Asher.

Here's your first spelling word.

It's "accidental."

The breaking of the glass was accidental .

(Asher Battle-Perryman) Accidental, a-c-c-i-d-e-n-t-a-l, accidental.

-Yes.

Good job, Asher.

That brings us to Yuno Sabino from Gunderson Middle School.

Hi, Yuno.

Here's your first spelling word.

It is "distribution."

There's an optimal distribution that can be achieved.

(Yuno Sabino) Distribution, d-i-s-t-r-i-b-u-t-i-o-n, distribution.

-Yes.

Good job, Yuno.

Next up is Ahnaly Nielsen from Brown Junior High.

Hi, Ahnaly.

-Here's your first spelling word.

It is "brutal."

She was expecting some sort of alien monster to inhabit that brutal planet.

(Ahnaly Nielsen) Brutal, b-r-u-t-a-l, brutal.

-Yes.

Thanks, Ahnaly.

We move on to Kayla Woods from Miller Middle School.

Hi, Kayla.

Here's your first spelling word.

It is "unique."

His paintings were so unique , they didn't even need his autograph.

(Kayla Woods) Unique, u-n-i-q-u-e, unique.

-Yes.

All right, that's round one.

So we go back to the beginning and start all over again.

That brings us back to Ricardo.

Come on down, Ricardo.

I got your next spelling word.

It is "translation."

A French translation of works appeared in Paris.

-Translation, t-r-a-n-s-l-a-t-i-o-n, translation.

Yes.

Good job, Ricardo.

That's brings us back to Le'majion.

I've got another word for you.

Your word is "linear."

It never falls into a linear plot.

-Linear, l-i-n-e-a-r, linear.

-Yes.

You got it, Le'majion.

Let's bring back Lain Mitchell from White.

Lain, I got your next spelling word.

It is "supervisor."

Your project supervisor is a specialist.

-Supervisor, s-u-p-e-r-v-i-s-o-r, supervisor.

-Yes.

Thank you, Lain.

And that brings us back to Asher.

Come on back up again, Asher.

We got one for you.

Your next word is "yacht."

Michael Jordan rented a yacht to celebrate his son's birthday.

-Yacht, y-a-c-h-t, yacht.

-Yes.

Good job, Asher.

Now back to Yuno from Gunderson.

Yuno, you're next word is "defamation."

The newspaper was sued for defamation .

-Defamation, d-e-p-h-a-m-a-t-i-o-n. -And that's incorrect, Yuno.

Defamation is an "F" and not a "P-H." D-e-f-a-m-a-t-i-o-n. Go and have a seat there.

We'll see what happens.

You may come back.

We're not sure yet.

We move on to Ahnaly.

We have your next word.

Ahnaly, your next word is "relation."

It was a very important experience in relation to his work.

-Relation, r-e-l-a-t-i-o-n, relation.

-Yes.

Thank you, Ahnaly.

Caleb, we have another word for you.

It is "ellipsis."

Breaks in the quotation are indicated by an ellipsis .

-Ellipsis, e-l-l-i-p-s-i-s, ellipsis.

-Yes.

All right.

So there are two rounds of spelling in the book.

Judges, I believe we're going to some vocabulary.

So again students, remember when I give you a word here, this is not a word for you to spell.

I'll give you a word, and then I'm going to make two different statements about that word.

And all you have to do is tell me whether you think Choice A is correct or Choice B is correct.

So we'll start with Ricardo.

Come on down, Ricardo.

Your first vocabulary word is "bannister."

You'd use a banister , A, while walking upstairs or, B, while hiking in the desert.

-"B."

-And that's incorrect.

It was A, while walking upstairs.

So go and have a seat over there.

We'll see what happens here.

Thank you, Ricardo.

Our next vocabulary word is for Le'majion.

Come on down, Le'majion.

Your vocabulary word is "minuscule."

So something described as minuscule is, A, very small in size or importance or, B, extremely disordered and confused.

-"A."

-Yes.

Good job, Le'majion.

Have a seat.

Our next vocabulary word is for Lain.

Come on down, Lain.

Your vocabulary word is "etch."

What does it mean to etch ?

A, outline a business plan or, B, to engrave in metal?

-"B."

-And that's correct.

Good job, Lain.

Have a seat.

And Asher, come on up.

We got a vocabulary word for you.

It is "nostalgia."

So what's another word for nostalgia ?

A, homesickness or, B, adorableness?

-"A."

-Yes.

Good job, Asher.

A vocabulary word is next for Ahnaly.

Ahnaly, your vocabulary word is "inferno."

If something is called and inferno , it is, A, a bright, cheery place or, B, a place or state of torment and suffering.

-"A."

-Well, that's incorrect, Ahnaly.

It was B, the place or state of torment and suffering.

Have a seat over there.

We'll see what happens.

Kayla, we have a vocabulary word for you.

It is "celestial."

So something described as celestial is, A, related to the sky or B, cool and dry.

-"A."

-Yes.

All right, so that is one round a vocabulary.

We have four spellers left.

So, judges, I believe we're gonna move back to some spelling words, and I believe we're on Word Number 15?

(a judge) Yes.

-All right.

So Le'majion, you're up.

I got another spelling word for you.

It is "pyramid."

She stopped to admire the pyramid .

-Pyramid, p-y-r-a-m-i-d, pyramid.

-Yes, good job.

Lain, you're up.

Your next spelling word is "affluent."

The affluent family donated a lot of money to the local arts.

-Affluent, a-f-f-l-u-e-n-t, affluent.

-Yes.

All right, Asher.

I got another spelling word for you.

It is "participle."

They were asked to use the present participle of the verb.

-Participle, p-a-r-t-i-s-i-p-l-e. -Finish the word.

-Participle.

-So that's incorrect.

You put an "S" where it's a "C." Participle, p-a-r-t-i-c-i-p-l-e. Have a seat over there.

Asher, we'll see what happens.

Kayla, we have a spelling word for you.

It is "interrogate."

We have a special housing unit where they house the people that they interrogate .

-Interrogate, i-n-t-e-r-r-o-g-a-t-e, interrogate.

-Yes.

All right, we're gonna keep on spelling.

We got more spelling words.

Le'majion, you're up next.

Your next spelling word is "malicious."

Her sister was being malicious when she knocked over the milk.

-Malicious, m-a-l-i-c-i-o-u-s, malicious.

-Yes.

Good job, Le'majion.

Lain, come on down for your next spelling word.

It is "rhinestone."

Those jeans have a rhinestone on the pocket.

-Rhinestone, r-h-i-n-e-s-t-o-n-e, rhinestone.

-You got it.

Kayla, your next spelling word is "jaundice."

The pediatrician advised the new parents to put their newborn in the sunlight to treat his jaundice .

-Jaundice, j-o-n-d-i-s, jaundice.

-So that's incorrect.

Jaundice is j-a-u-n-d-i-c-e.

So Kayla, have a seat.

So we do have our two top spellers, but we're not done yet.

But I think we can give a round of applause to Le'majion and Lain.

(applause) While our students are doing great here at the finals, we thought you might want to take a moment to go back and see how did they get from wherever they were here to the finals.

♪♪♪ -Next up for that icebreaker is Lain Mitchell.

Come on down, Lain.

Lain, your icebreaker word is "person."

Each person will need a pencil and a sheet of paper.

-Person, p-e-r-s-o-n, person.

-You got it.

Thanks, Lain.

And this is time for Le'majion.

Did I get it right there, Le'majion?

-Yes.

-Close enough?

-Mm-hmm.

-How do you say your name?

-Le'majion.

-Oh, I was close.

Yeah.

From Hyde Park.

Here is your icebreaker word.

It's "index."

Check the index for information you're looking for.

-Index, i-n-d-e-x, index.

-Yes, sir.

Thanks.

-And we welcome to the microphone Lain Mitchell.

Come on down, Lain, from White Middle School.

Lain, here's your first spelling word.

It's "academy."

After high school, Justin attended a small theatre arts academy.

-Academy, a-c-a-d-e-m-y, academy.

-Yes.

Thank you, Lain.

Go back and have a seat.

Nice job.

And we move over to Le'majion.

Come on over.

Your next spelling word is "macaroni."

Mom made us macaroni and cheese for dinner.

-Macaroni, m-a-c-a-r-o-n-i, macaroni.

-Yes.

Making me hungry, Le'majion.

Thank you.

We move on to Lain.

Come on down, Lain.

We got another spelling word for you.

Your Word is "abbreviation."

Writing the abbreviation for the name of the states saves time.

-Abbreviation, a-b-b-r-e-v-i-a-t-i-o-n, abbreviation.

-Yes.

Thank you, Lain.

Have a seat.

And we're back down front to Le'majion.

I got your next word here.

It's "monologue."

There's more monologue than dialogue in this play.

-Monologue, m-o-n-o-l-o-g-u-e. -Yes.

Thanks, Le'majion.

Our vocabulary word next is for Lain.

Come on down, Lain.

Your vocabulary word is "apprehensive."

So if someone is apprehensive, they are, A, calm or, B, anxious.

-"B."

-Yes.

Thank you, Lain.

Have a seat.

Good job.

And next up is Le'majion.

Your vocabulary word is "credentials."

The sentence, What are credentials, is either, A, items proving a person is entitled to a position or, B, fake teeth.

-"A."

-Yes, good job.

Lain, come on up.

We got another word for you.

It's "encyclopedia."

We hope you enjoy and learn from the encyclopedia.

-Encyclopedia, e-n-c-y-c-l-o-p-e-d-i-a, encyclopedia.

-Yes.

Thank you, Lain.

Have a seat.

Le'majion, come on up.

Your next word is "maintenance."

The house will need scheduled maintenance before it is sold.

-Maintenance, m-a-i-n-t-e-n-a-n-c-e, maintenance.

Yes.

Have a seat, Le'majion.

So the top seven spellers, would you come back up here so we can take your picture.

Moms and dads, let's give them another round of applause.

(applause) ♪♪♪ -So what we need to do is spell down to first place and second place.

So would you both come on down and stand on either side of the gray mark.

So the good news is you're both moving on to the Nevada State Spelling Bee, but we're going to spell down right now and find out which of you is gonna be first place or second place.

And, judges, should we keep on spelling, or should we go back to vocabulary?

I'm not sure what you guys want to do here.

(a judge) Spelling.

-Spelling, okey-doke.

So Le'majion, we'll start with you.

Your next word is "reluctant."

Jose's parents were reluctant to get him a cell phone.

-Reluctant, r-e-l-u-c-t-a-n-t, reluctant.

-Yes.

All right, Lain.

Here's your next word.

It is "myriad."

Felicia had a myriad of things to do to get ready for the party.

-Is there any other pronunciations?

-All I have is "myriad."

-Okay.

Myriad, m-i-r-i-a-d, myriad.

-And you got caught up there.

There is a "Y."

That's an m-y-r-i-a-d, but you're still going to the Nevada State Spelling Bee.

Our 7th grade spelling champion is Le'majion, and second place is Lain.

Congratulations!

Hang out right there for just a second, you guys.

And we'll continue with the Spelling Bee in just a moment.

♪♪♪ -And here we are with our 8th grade spellers.

And we are starting with from Rogich Middle School, please welcome Ysabel Gongora.

Ysabel, come on down.

We got your first spelling word.

And your word is "quadrant."

Erica's neighborhood is located in the northeast quadrant of the city.

(Ysabel Gongora) Quadrant, q-u-a-d-r-a-n-t, quadrant.

-Yes.

Thanks, Ysabel.

Have a seat.

And we bring up from Greenspun Junior High School, here's Maddoxx Egnor.

Come on down, Maddoxx.

Your word is "transition."

The transition from home to college is often difficult.

(Maddoxx Egnor) Transition, t-r-a-n-s-i-t-i-o-n, transition.

-Good job.

Thanks, Maddoxx.

All right, let's say hello to Christopher Burgess from Fertitta Middle School.

Come on down, Christopher.

Your word is "dependent."

She was becoming more dependent on him.

(Christopher Burgess) Dependent, d-e-p-e-n-d-e-n-t, dependent.

-Yes.

Thanks, Christopher.

Next up from Canarelli, we say hello to Norrin Jackson.

Hi, Norrin.

Your word is "honorable."

My uncle was the strongest, most honorable person I've ever known.

(Norrin Jackson) Honorable, h-o-n-o-r-a-b-l-e, honorable.

-Yes.

There's Norrin.

And we welcome from O'Callaghan Middle School, here is Lochlan Maloney-Ferrer.

Hi, Lochlan.

Here's your word.

It is "flaunt."

The newly engaged woman loved to flaunt her diamond ring.

(Lochlan Maloney-Ferrer) Flaunt, f-l-a-u-n-t, flaunt.

-Yes.

That's good, Lochlan.

Next we say hello to Daphne Ward from Hyde Park.

Daphne, here's your word.

It is "earliest."

The earliest record of an apothecary's shop was in London.

(Daphne Ward) Earliest, e-a-r-l-i-e-s-t, earliest.

Yes.

Good job, Daphne.

And from White Middle School, come on up.

It's Ari Clary.

Ari, here's your word.

"Secondary."

Private secondary schools are subject to state inspection.

(Ari Clary) Secondary, s-e-c-o-n-d-a-r-y, secondary.

-All right, good job.

All right.

That's our first round, spellers.

You did good, and we move on to Round Number 2.

That brings us back to Ysabel.

Come on down, Ysabel.

I got another word for you.

It is "chaotic."

We have a fairly chaotic process for choosing names on maps.

-Chaotic, c-h-a-o-t-i-c, chaotic.

-Yes.

Good job, Ysabel.

Back to Maddoxx Egnor from Greenspun.

Come on down, Maddoxx.

Your next word is "bizarre."

She wasn't going to break his bizarre rules.

-Bizarre, b-i-z-a-r-r-e, bizarre.

-Good job, Maddoxx.

Back again to Christopher Burgess from Fertitta.

Come on down, Christopher.

Your word is "reflective."

He became more reflective , more interested in the past.

-Reflective, r-e-f-l-e-c-t-i-v-e, reflective.

-Yes.

Thanks, Christopher.

We're back to Norrin.

Come on up, Norrin.

Your next word is "thesaurus."

Caleb's paper read as if he'd looked at a thesaurus while writing it.

-Thesaurus, t-h-e-s-a-u-r-a-u-s. -And do we get a card?

I'm pretty sure that is incorrect.

Thesaurus is t-h-e-s-a-u-r-u-s.

There's not that additional "A."

Norrin, have a seat for now.

We'll see what happens.

Thank you.

Next up is Lochlan from O'Callaghan Middle School.

Lochlan, your next word is "juxtapose."

We must juxtapose two main characters of Lord of the Flies .

-Juxtapose, j-u-x-t-a-p-o-s-e, juxtapose.

-Yes.

Thanks, Lochlan.

Next up is Daphne from Hyde Park.

And Daphne, your next word is "mannequin."

Many stores put a mannequin in the window to show off the latest fashion.

-Could I get the word of-- language of origin?

-Sure, it's French.

-Mannequin, m-a-n-e-q-u-i-n, mannequin.

-That is so close.

There's two "Ns," Daphne.

So have a seat for now.

We'll see what happens.

And that brings us to Ari Clary.

Ari, your next word is "fuchsia."

French cottage style adds vibrant colors, such as fuchsia .

-Fuchsia, f-u-s-c-h-i-a, fuchsia.

-That's incorrect, Ari.

You got it mixed up.

Fuchsia is f-u-c-h-s-i-a.

So go ahead and have a seat.

Let's see what happens here.

I believe that does complete our second round of spelling words.

And judges, if I'm correct, we're gonna move on to a round of vocabulary?

-Okey-doke.

So we have four spellers left.

So we're going to keep on and use the same order that you're in and stay in the same seats that you're in.

Remember in vocabulary, you're not going to have to spell the word.

I'm gonna give you a word and two different statements.

And you just tell me whether you think Choice A is correct or whether Choice B is correct.

So we'll start with you, Ysabel.

Come on down.

Your first vocabulary word is "ultimatum."

What is an ultimatum ?

A, the highest level of achievement or, B, a final condition or demand?

-Choice "B."

-And B is correct.

Thank you, Ysabel.

Maddoxx, come on down.

We have your first vocabulary word.

It is "palatable."

The pizza was very palatable .

Does that mean, A, tasty or, B, hot?

-Choice A.

-And that is correct.

Good job, Maddoxx.

Christopher, come on down.

We have your first vocabulary word.

It's "niche" or "niche."

When a person describes a niche, they're discussing a place, A, where they fit in or, B, where they feel excluded.

-Choice A.

-Yes.

Good job, Christopher.

Lochlan, we got your first vocabulary word.

It is "adjournment."

An adjournment is, A, a short haircut or, B, to suspend action.

-Choice B.

-Yes.

So you guys survived your first vocabulary round.

And we're gonna go back to spelling words.

-Judges, I believe we're on Word Number 22?

All right.

Ysabel, ready for another spelling word?

Come on down.

Your word is "marsupial."

Except the opossums, no single living marsupial is known outside Australia.

-Marsupial, m-a-r-s-u-p-i-a-l, marsupial.

-Yes.

Thank you, Ysabel.

All right, Maddoxx.

Got another spelling word for you.

The word is "hyacinth."

We have early hyacinth and a small clump of snowdrops, which are beautiful too.

-H-i-e-s-i-n-t-h. -Plus you're supposed to say the word, spell the word, and say the word.

But you did spell incorrectly.

Hyacinth is h-y-a-c-i-n-t-h.

So Maddoxx, have a seat over there with Mrs. Grimm.

We'll see what happens here.

Christopher, we have another spelling word for you.

It is "allegiance."

Every morning the class recites the Pledge of Allegiance .

-Allegiance, a-l-l-e-g-i-a-n-c-e, allegiance.

-Yes.

All right, I believe Lochlan is next.

And, Lochlan, your next word is "vicious."

There was a vicious dog in the park today.

-Vicious, v-i-c-o-u-s, vicious.

-And that's incorrect.

Vicious is v-i-c-i-o-u-s. Well, this is all wonderful, but what do you say we take a step back and see how these students got to the finals.

♪♪♪ And our first speller is from Rogich Middle School.

Let's say hello to Ysabel Gongora.

Come on down, Ysabel.

Again, these are icebreaker words.

They don't count against you.

This is just to get you used to getting up and down.

And your icebreaker word is "puppy."

My dad surprised me with a new puppy for my birthday.

-P-u-p-p-y, puppy.

-Okay.

So remember to say the word first.

So you're fine, just say the word, then spell the word, and then say the word again.

So you're good.

Thank you, Ysabel.

And maybe speak up a little bit more next time, but you're good.

Thank you, Ysabel.

-From Fertitta Middle School, welcome to Christopher Burgess.

Come on down, Christopher.

Your icebreaker word is "stem."

A tulip has a long stem.

-Stem, s-t-e-m, stem.

-There you go.

Don't you wish they were all this easy?

Ysabel Gongora from Rogich Middle School.

Come on down, Ysabel.

Your first spelling word is "figure."

A tall figure lounged against a huge tree beside the trail.

-Figure, f-i-g-u-r-e, figure.

-And you got the green card.

Yes.

Thanks, Ysabel.

Go ahead and have a seat.

Nice job.

And next up is Christopher Burgess from Fertitta Middle School.

Hi, Christopher.

Come on down.

Your first spelling word is "knowledge."

My stomach knotted with the knowledge that this might be our last chance.

-Knowledge, k-n-o-w-l-e-d-g-e, knowledge.

-Yes.

Thanks, Christopher.

We're back to Ysabel from Rogich.

Come on down, Ysabel.

Here's your next spelling word, Ysabel.

And speak up here.

The word is "unbelievable."

Everything you've shown me this afternoon was unbelievable.

-Unbelievable, u-n-b-e-l-i-e-v-a-b-l-e, unbelievable.

-Yes.

Nice job, Ysabel.

Have a seat.

Okay.

Christopher Burgess, come on back down.

Your next spelling word is "hallucination."

Did I really see a zebra walking down the street, or was that a hallucination?

-Hallucination, h-a-l-l-u-c-i-n-a-t-i-o-n, hallucination.

-Yes.

Thank you, Christopher.

So we will start with Ysabel.

Step up here for your first vocabulary word, Ysabel.

So again, I'm going to give you a word.

Then I'm going to say a couple of different sentences about the word.

And all you have to tell me is which one you think best represents the word, whether it's Option A or Option B.

So here's your vocabulary word.

It's "retention."

Retention is the, A, ability to remember or, B, ability to repay?

-Option A.

-Yes.

Good job, Ysabel.

You get to sit back down and move on.

And that brings us to Christopher.

Come on down for your vocabulary word.

It is "peripheral."

If something is on the peripheral, it is, A, on the outside or, B, in the center?

-"A."

-Yes.

Thanks, Christopher.

All right, so we're back to Ysabel.

It's your turn.

I got another spelling word for you.

And your spelling word is "frequency."

Again, you're gonna have to spell this word.

Moreover, the frequency of sneezing could be a real concern.

-Frequency, f-r-e-q-u-e-n-c-y, frequency.

-Yes.

Thank you, Ysabel.

Would you step up.

We do have another word for you.

It is "encyclopedia."

We hope you enjoy and learn from the free online encyclopedia.

-Encyclopedia, e-n-c-y-c-l-o-p-e-d-i-a, encyclopedia.

-That's correct, so have a seat.

Let's see what happens.

And I believe we have our seventh speller.

Congratulations on being the seventh of our top seven 8th grade spellers!

So have a seat there.

And if I'm not mistaken, we have our two top 8th grade spellers.

Am I right?

Let's give them a hand!

Ysabel and Christopher, come on down front.

Come on down front, and stand on either side of the gray mark so we can just say congratulations to you.

There are your two top 8th grade spellers in the Clark County School District.

Ysabel and Christopher.

Good luck in the State Bee, you guys.

-All right.

We want to say congratulations to the spellers today for their success, and the best of luck to the top spellers as they will be representing the Clark County School District at the Nevada State Bee in March.

Until next year, thanks for watching.

And we'll see you next time on Vegas PBS.

♪♪♪ This program brought to you in part by the Erika Lewis Endowment Fund.