Jonathan Kapilian Crowned District Spelling Bee Champ

Jonathan Kapilian, an eighth grader at Long Beach Middle School, survived 19 grueling rounds of competition to be crowned the winner in the Long Beach Public Schools District Spelling Bee.

The field of 41 students was whittled down to five competitors in round seven, with middle school students Emily Burns, Jonathan Kapilian, Irving Oliva, Kelly DiResto and Jessica Rollins battling it out for another five rounds, until Jonathan and Jessica were the last two standing.They went head-to-head for an additional seven rounds, until Jonathan pulled off a victory in the 19th round, correctly spelling the word “amethyst” to earn the title of District Spelling Bee Champion.

“The Spelling Bee was instituted to help students improve their spelling, increase vocabulary, and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives,” said Director of English Language Arts Joshua Anisansel.