MILWAUKEE — Cheers and applause filled the auditorium at Vincent High School as elementary students from Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) competed in the district-wide spelling bee.
Among the excited students was Jhamar Scott, a fourth grader from Grantosa Drive School, who returned to the stage determined to win after placing second in last year’s third-grade competition.
“I took time out of other things I wanted to do so I could win today,” Scott said. “I told my mom the spelling bee was this Saturday. I gave her some words and started practicing every night. The day of the spelling bee, before we left, we went over them again.”
His focus and dedication paid off. As the announcer delivered the final word, Scott stepped confidently to the microphone and correctly spelled ‘broach’.
“I couldn’t hold my smile back. I was too happy,” he said, describing his emotions as a mix of happiness and shock.
Watching from the audience, his mother, Martina Spence, beamed with pride.
“I said a prayer. He really deserves this,” she said. “Instead of playing basketball, we stayed up late to study. He worked hard for it.”
Scott wasn’t the only student who left the stage with pride. Ella Fernandez, a third grader from IDEAL School, was crowned winner of the third-grade bee.
“It was making me nervous, but I won,” Fernandez said. “I felt really proud of myself because I won. I got a trophy and stuff like that, and I just like spelling.”
The journey meant something special for each student who participated.
Ben Keto, a fourth grader from Bay View Montessori, placed fifth last year and second two years ago.
Check out: Elementary students crowned champions at MPS Spelling Bee
“I can’t believe I did this, oh my god,” Keto smiled, holding the fifth-grade trophy in his hands.
“It was the first time I did something like this in front of a big audience. Everyone has a chance. You can always do something — to be better or worse.”
Many participants walked away with smiles, applause, and a sense of accomplishment — regardless of the outcome.
Even those who misspelled words were celebrated, with one student affirming, “I’m still a winner.”
For Scott, the journey was about more than just winning a trophy.
“If you work hard and believe in yourself, then you can do what you want to do,” he said.
The excitement isn’t over yet. Middle schoolers across Milwaukee Public Schools are now preparing to take the stage for their chance to shine.
The next round is Saturday, April 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Vincent School of Agricultural Sciences, located at 7501 N. Granville Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53224.
TMJ4 News will be streaming the competition. You can watch live on our website, or wherever you stream TMJ4.
Milwaukee Public Schools leaders say it’s a great chance for some friendly competition outside of athletics. Plus, students learn important skills like time management and public speaking.
TMJ4 News broadcast the MPS Spelling Bee in 2022, 2023, and 2024 as well. Click here to watch the 2022 competition, see 2023's coverage here, and see 2024's coverage here.
TMJ4's parent company is The E.W. Scripps Company, which hosts the Scripps National Spelling Bee every year.
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