Local girl wins spelling bee competition

Waterway Elementary School’s fifth-grade student Jianna McCumbee won the local spelling bee competition and advanced to the regional level recently.

All Horry County schools held a spelling bee competition and the winning student from each school went on to represent them in the regional spelling bee.

Many students were tested to compete but only 20 were chosen at Waterway Elementary. Jianna McCumbee, a fifth-grader from Ms. Jamie Cech’s classroom, won against some tough competition from her fellow students. She and Logan Herlihy went head-to-head for several rounds before the competition ended. Herlihy did such a good job and really gave her a run for her money. McCumbee, daughter of local Longs resident Megan McCumbee, won the competition and advanced to the regional level.

The Pee Dee Education Center Regional Spelling Bee was held at Francis Marion University on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, with 78 children competing from fifth to ninth grade, representing 12 school districts and 70-plus schools.

“Idiosyncratic, comportment, beguile, coriander” are just a few of the difficult and tricky words chosen for these young students.

Jianna McCumbee made it from 78 to 14th. What a proud moment for her family, her teacher and her school.

She said, “It was more about getting over my fear of public speaking than winning, but I am so proud that I could represent my school and make it this far in front of so many people.”

Congratulations to Jianna McCumbee on her great accomplishment!