Bell Nall takes Second at County Spelling Bee

Bee winner advances to Birmingham

By Dale Liesch
Published: Saturday, January 24, 2009 12:05 AM CST
Alexander City Outlook

Could you spell the word incredulous under the pressure of competition and in front of judges?

Well Lindsey Zimmer, a Reeltown School eighth grader, did and, in so doing, she won the Tallapoosa County spelling bee.

In all, five area students competed in the spell-off held in the extension office of the Tallapoosa County Courthouse Friday morning.

Zimmer said she was nervous until the very end of the competition when she was announced the winner.

*
“I’m excited to win,” Zimmer said. “The butterflies finally left my stomach.”

Reeltown spelling bee sponsor Stacy Gibson said Zimmer competed in the final round against Julia Bell Nall from Horseshoe Bend School, where the two students took turns spelling words until someone missed their first word.

“(Zimmer) had to spell two words in a row,” Gibson said.

Zimmer, who won the county bee in 2007, will move on to the state competition in Birmingham to be held in March.

Heather Thomas, Tallapoosa County spelling bee coordinator, said the five contestants had started practicing for the competition as the school year began and had to compete at two levels including a grade level competition and a school competition before being invited to the county level.

“All the students worked really hard to make it here,” Thomas said.

Landon Poston, a Dadeville High School eighth grader, won third place in the competition. Rachael Tierney from Councill Middle School and Africa Gaddis from Radney School also competed.