Rio Rico, AZ - Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District No. 35 is proud to announce the 2023 District Spelling Bee Champion, Coatimundi Middle School 8th grader, Vika Hetherington.
Vika also won the site spelling bee at Coatimundi Middle School. The competition consisted of 18 rounds and the winning word was quadrillion. Jacobo Arenas, a 6th grader from Calabasas, came in second place.
"This year's spelling bee demonstrated that we have many students achieving at high levels in all of our schools. 18 rounds is the longest I've seen the bee go since I've been a judge, said Chris Jackson, 2023 Spelling Bee judge and principal at Mountain View Elementary.
The district winner and runner up along with site champions from each school will represent SCV35 in the Santa Cruz County Spelling Bee on February 10, 2023 at the VFW in Nogales. SCV35 participants will include Vika Hetherington, Jacobo Arenas, Renata Reyes Rascon, Lynette Chavez, and Kimberly Pardo Martinez.
SCV35 District Spelling Bee Participants
Renata Reyes Rascon, Calabasas K8 School Champion, 5th grade
Zazil Isabella Torres, Calabasas K8 School Alternate, 4th grade
Lynette Chavez, Mountain View Elementary Champion, 4th grade
Natalie Ayala, Mountain View Elementary Alternate, 5th grade
Kimberly Pardo Martinez, San Cayetano Elementary Champion, 5th grade
Kaileia Thompson, San Cayetano Elementary Alternate, 5th grade
Jacobo Arenas, Calabasas K8 School Champion, 6th grade
Gabriel Rojo, Calabasas K8 School, Alternate, 8th grade
Vika Hetherington, Coatimundi Middle School Champion, 8th grade
Aran Tapia Quezada, Coatimundi Middle School Alternate, 8th grade
SCV35 Judges
Toni Ann Schadler, Assistant to the Principal, Coatimundi Middle School
Chris Jackson, Principal, Mountain View Elementary School
Jonathan Chavez, Assistant Principal, Calabasas K8 School
SCV35 Pronouncers
Stephen Schadler, Assistant Superintendent
Mimi Rentiera, Principal, San Cayetano Elementary School
