After 29 rounds, Hawaii Preparatory Academy sixth-grader Kealia Haitsuka correctly spelled “monotonous” to win the Hawaii Island District Spelling Bee on Saturday, Jan. 19, at HPA’s Gates Performing Arts Center. Eighth-grader Anatevka Ah Loy of Waimea Middle Public Charter School was the runner-up.
After 29 rounds, Hawaii Preparatory Academy sixth-grader Kealia Haitsuka correctly spelled “monotonous” to win the Hawaii Island District Spelling Bee on Saturday, Jan. 19, at HPA’s Gates Performing Arts Center. Eighth-grader Anatevka Ah Loy of Waimea Middle Public Charter School was the runner-up.
Haitsuka and Ah Loy will represent Hawaii Island at the 2013 Hawaii State Spelling Bee on Saturday, March 23. PBS Hawaii will broadcast the event live at 7 p.m.
Twenty-seven participants representing 14 schools around the island competed in the event. The participants were: Connections Public Charter School (Kate Wines, adviser), Logan Amormino, Elijah Oliver; Haili Christian School (Lorene Olson, adviser), Ezekiel Carrisal, Talan Nakamura; Hawaii Academy of Arts & Sciences Charter School (Randi Wold-Brennon and Tom Brennon, advisers), Melissa Neal; HPA (Julie Camarillo, adviser), Alicia Chow, Kealia Haitsuka; Hilo Intermediate School (Vincent Ulloa, adviser), Laurie Anne DeMattos, Jack Petrison; Honokaa Intermediate School (Jeanne Clement, adviser), Zhanelyn Cacho, Yvette Acob;
Also, Kamehameha Middle School Keaau Campus, Mahana Mikaele, Kaori Nishioka; Kealakehe Intermediate School (Deborah Richard, adviser), Hope Kudo, Xochitl Reyes; Kohala Elementary School (Rose Mae Watterson, adviser), Grace Todd, Hokani Maria; Konawaena Middle School (Tyler Quillin, adviser), Taggart Nakamoto, Christianne Abella; Kona Christian Academy (Tom McEntee, adviser), Mara Duarte, Enjolique Hughes; Paauilo School (Patricia Anderson, adviser), Taylor Tabucbuc, Daycie DeLuz; St. Joseph School (Theresa Burian, adviser), Bryn Wilcox, Joanne Farias; Waimea Middle Public Charter School (Leesa Robertson, adviser), Korie Key and Anatevka Ah Loy.