Whitehead, Edwards win county spelling bees
Published 12:22 pm Wednesday, January 30, 2019
<p>Courtesy of Harlan County Schools</p> <p>Winners in the Harlan County Spelling Bee were, from the left: Eighth-grader Brooklyn Whitehead, first place, Green Hills Elementary School; seventh-grader Jacob Shoemaker, second place, Rosspoint Elementary School; and fifth-grader Aiden Stewart, third, Cawood Elementary School.</p>
<p>Competing in the Harlan County Spelling Bee in fourth- through eighth grade were, from left, front row: Jayden Simpson, eighth grade, Wallins Elementary School, daughter of Steve and Danielle Simpson; Brooklyn Whitehead, eighth grade, Green Hills, daughter of Walden and Natasia Whitehead; Madison Combs, eighth grade, Black Mountain, daughter of Greg and Emma Combs; Alyssa Wynn, eighth grade, Evarts, daughter of Kevin and Tasha Wynn; back row, Jacob Shoemaker, seventh grade, son of Russell and Mary Jo Shoemaker; Jacob Brown, seventh grade, Cumberland, son of Michael Brown; Dalton Neff, seventh grade, James A. Cawood, son of Stacey Neff: Aiden Stewart, fifth grade, Cawood, son of Danny and Cherish Stewart; Brayden Brock, eighth grade, Harlan County Christian School, son of Billy and Candace Brock; and Sayed Damaa, fifth grade, Harlan Middle, son of Dr. Georges and Jamile Damaa.</p>
<p>Winners in the Harlan County Spelling Bee primary division, were, from left: Hayden Grace, second place, a third grader from Cumberland Elementary School; Kaylee Lockhart, third place, a third grader from Green Hills Elementary School; and Jaelyn Edwards, first place, a third grader from Evarts Elementary School. Kevin Cavins, representing Monticello Banking Company which co-sponsors the event, participated in the awards program.</p>
<p>Participants in the primary division of the Harlan County Spelling Bee included, from left, front row: Hayden Grace, Cumberland Elementary School, third grade, son of Emmitt and Ashley Grace; Jaelyn Edwards, Evarts, third grade, daughter of James and Summer Edwards; Riley Anglian, Evarts, third grade, son of D.J. and Rebekah Anglian; Kaylee Lockhart, Green Hills, third grade, granddaughter of Wayne and Carla Simpson; Kaiden Turner, Green Hills, first grade, son of Brian and Whitney Turner; Gracie Middleton, James A. Cawood, third grade, daughter of Angelia Ledford; Jarrod Doeple, James A. Cawood, third grade, son of Jarrod and Skyla Doeple; and Peyton Osborne, Rosspoint Elementary School, third grade, daughter of Bradley and Tabitha Johnson; back row, Lilly Skidmore, Cawood, third grade, daughter of Travis Skidmore; Carson Clark, Cumberland, third grade, son of Michael Clark and Melissa Cornett; Hunter Brewer, Black Mountain Elementary, third grade, son of James and Angel Brewer; Aiselyn Sexton, Rosspoint, third grade, daughter of Amber Halcomb and Nick Sexton; Cameron Stephens, Wallins, third grade, son of Bradley and Jerrica Stephens; and Layken Saylor, Wallins Elemetnary, second grade, daughter of Brian and Heather Saylor.</p>
Brooklyn Whitehead found herself in familiar territory Monday when she won the Harlan County Spelling Bee.
Competing in the middle grades division to earn the right to advance to the Kentucky Derby Spelling Bee in March, Whitehead withstood a tough challenge from Jacob Shoemaker, of Rosspoint, who finished with second place honors. Aiden Stewart from Cawood Elementary School came in third.
After multiple rounds, Whitehead corrected the misspelling of controversy by her closest opponent and then capped the win by correctly spelling toboggan.
Now an eighth grader, Whitehead won the primary division as a third grader. The primary division winners do not advance to the state spelling bee. She is the daughter of Walden and Natasia Whitehead.
In addition to a trophy, medal and $100, Whitehead will spend her birthday in Louisville representing Harlan County at the state spelling bee. Her mother said her daughter has the “biggest heart ever,” reflecting on a school spelling be a few years back where she intentionally let her friend win a spelling bee.
Brooklyn’s favorite subject is English. While spelling is not a class, her teachers give tests that emphasize grammar and spelling.
She plays basketball, cheers and is a member of First Priority.
She wants to be a lawyer when she grows up “because I am really good at arguing and getting what I want.” She would love to see a debate team established at Harlan County High School where she will attend next year.
Others participating were Madison Combs, Black Mountain; Jacob Brown, Cumberland; Alyssa Wynn, Evarts; Brayden Brock, Harlan County Christian; Sayed Damaa, Harlan Middle School; Dalton Neff, James A. Cawood; and Jayden Simpson, Wallins.
Jaelyn Edwards, a third grader at Evarts Elementary School, won the primary division of the Harlan County Spelling Bee. She is the daughter of daughter of James and Summer Edwards.
Hayden Grace, a third grader from Cumberland Elementary School, won second place. Kaylee Lockhart, a third grader from Green Hills Elementary was third.
Students competing included: Hunter Brewer, Black Mountain; Lilly Skidmore, Cawood; Carson Clark and Hayden Grace, Cumberland; Jaelyn Edwards and Riley Anglian, of Evarts; Kaylee Lockhart and Kaiden Turner, Green Hills; Gracie Middleton and Jarrod Doeple, James A. Cawood; Peyton Osborne and Aiselyn Sexton, Rosspoint; and Cameron Stephens and Layken Saylor, Wallins.
Each participant in both divisions received medals for advancing to the county spelling bee.
Spelling bee sponsors are Harlan County Farm Bureau/Agent Roger Fannin, Kentucky River Coal, Monticello Banking Company and Harlan County Public Schools.
