On Tuesday, Jan. 9, fifteen spellers in grades 4–8 showcased their linguistic prowess at the Bayside Academy Spelling Bee.

Notably, this year's tournament featured two sets of siblings: Anne Riley and Mary Helen Williams, both 8th graders, and Griffin and Mary Kathryn Jacobs, in 4th and 6th grades, respectively.

After an intense competition spanning 22 rounds, 6th grader David Green emerged victorious as the spelling champion. The runner-up title went to 6th grader Mary Kathryn Jacobs, while 8th grader Natalie Johnson and 7th grader Abby DiMatteo secured a tie for third place. A noteworthy mention goes to 4th grader Sarah Kell, who displayed impressive spelling skills throughout the tournament.

The championship word for 2024 was revealed to be "bunions."

As the winner, David Green will represent Bayside Academy in the upcoming Baldwin County Spelling Bee, set to take place virtually on Feb. 1.

Below is the list of participants in the Bayside Academy Spelling Bee, categorized by grade:

4th Grade

• Nicholas Goleash
• Griffin Jacobs
• Sarah Kell

5th Grade

• Nizar Morrar
• Jeremy Ou
• Fenn Schlesinger

6th Grade

• David Green
• Mary Kathryn Jacobs
• William Roberts

7th Grade

• Abby DiMatteo
• Annabel Kimbrell
• Bennett Lieb

8th Grade

• Natalie Johnson
• Anne Riley Williams
• Mary Helen Williams