RRE 5th Grade Student Wins Marana District Spelling Bee
Bryant Banzhaf, 5th grade student at Rattlesnake Ridge Elementary, became the Marana Unified School District’s 2024 Spelling Bee champion.
The District’s top 32 spellers were eligible to compete, ranging from fourth to eighth grade from Marana’s elementary, middle and K8 schools, for the title of Spelling Bee champion at the Marana Unified School District’s Spelling Bee hosted on Jan. 18 at Mountain View High School. Alternates were available to step in if a student could not participate.
Congratulations to:
- 1st Place/Champion: Bryant Banzhaf, Rattlesnake Ridge Elementary School
- 2nd Place: Zamarah Gonzalez, Dove Mountain CSTEM K-8
- 3rd Place: Matthew Reyes, Rattlesnake Ridge Elementary School
- 4th Place: Ainsley Mote, Gladden Farms Elementary School
- Alternate: Jackson Hays, Dove Mountain CSTEM K-8
Students were required to spell a wide variety of words, including crookedly, Bunsen burner, and Copenhagen.
The spelling bee ended with Zamarah Gonzalez misspelling the word bereavement (meaning: a period of mourning after a loss). Bryant Banzhaf was then given the same word and spelled it correctly. He sealed his win as Spelling Bee champion by spelling the final word correctly, Bethesda (a city in Maryland).
Bryant will be joined by three top contestants, and an alternate, at the Pima County Spelling Bee on Sat., Feb. 17 at CDO High School.
Congratulations to all District participants and winners!