JWCS hosts 5th Grade Spelling Bee

SPARTA – The Junior Woman’s Club of Sparta hosted its 21st annual Fifth Grade Spelling Bee on Jan. 30. Helen Morgan and Reverend Brown schools participated.

The first- place winner wasAine Byrne, with Kaylee Handzus taking second place, and Alecxis Villapando placing third. All attend Helen Morgan School.

Prizes to the winners were donated by Dunkin Donuts, Elite Nails, Super Cuts, OS Job Lot, Le Ciel Nail, RJ Mars, Ski Mt. Peter, Sparta Lanes, TCBY, and Villa Capri, Just for U Nail, Quick Check, and YMCA.

Judges were Brad Davis, assistant principal of Sparta Middle School;, Peggy Lami, children’s coordinator at the Sparta Public Library; and Jacquelyn Burt, a teacher at Pope John XXIII High School. Anne Karanikas led the event for the JWCS and served as pronouncer. Sarah Franks was the moderator

All three winners will go on to represent Sparta at the Highlands District Spelling Bee, with winners at the district level going on to compete at the State Championship in early March at the headquarters of the New Jersey State Federation of Women's Clubs.

From left, back row, are Anne Karanikas, Peggy Lami, Jacquelyn Burt, Brad Davis and Sarah Franks.In front, left to right, are Kaylee Handzus, Aine Byrne and Alecxis Vllapando.