How do you spell sassafras?

Sparta — The Junior Woman’s Club of Sparta held the 13th annual fifth-grade Spelling Bee on Saturday, Jan. 26. Fifth-grade teachers at Hilltop Country Day, Reverend Brown Elementary and Mohawk Avenue School were asked to help select, with mini-spelling bees, two students per class for the Bee. A total of 28 students, from Reverend Brown and MAS, participated. In 23 rounds of elimination, Saira Aslam, from MAS won first place. Second place went to Dillon Prendergast and Emma Agius took third, also from MAS. PNC Bank - Sparta Branch donated, to Saira, the opening balance deposit for a child’s college education savings plan. She also received a $35 gift certificate to and donated by Sparta Stationery Plus; the official dictionary of the Bee, Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition. donated by the Sparta Book Store, and a Parker Pen. Second-place prizes were a $100 savings bond and a Parker Pen donated by the club and a $20 gift certificate to and donated by RJMars. The prizes for third place were a $50 savings bond, a $10 gift certificate to Dunkin Donuts, and a Parker Pen, donated by the club. The club thanked its supporters: PNC Bank, Sparta Stationery Plus, RJ Mars Stores, Sparta Book Store and the Junior Woman’s Club of Sparta. The Spelling Bee committee included Anne Jhong, Kathleen Piwko, and Karen Rendina. Judges were Brad Davis, vice principal at the Sparta Middle School; Lorise Goeke, principal at Helen Morgan, and Lyn Gebhard, children’s coordinator at the Sparta Library. The club offered special thanks to parents who encouraged their children to participate and to the volunteers who made the event possible. Supporting an event like the Spelling Bee is a reflection of the community’s dedication to academic achievement, organizers said. Kathleen Piwko, president said, “Our annual spelling bee is one of my favorite events that we sponsor as a club. I think we are creating an event for our local children that they may remember for years to come.” First-, second- and third-place winners of the Spelling Bee were invited to participate in the NJSFWC - JM District Level Spelling Bee on Saturday, Feb. 9 in Long Valley. District-level winners will then be invited to the State Championship which will take place on March 9 in New Brunswick.