Brainerd Student to Represent Region 5 in National Spelling Bee
Hannah Moddes crowned spelling bee champion
Each of these students did an amazing job. To qualify for the Regional Spelling Bee, they won their respective classroom, grade, school, and district spelling bees. So, to make it to this level is a huge accomplishment in and of itself.
It doesn't take a ‘magistrate’ to rule Hannah Moddes a spelling champion.
Moddes, a seventh grader at Forestview Middle School in Brainerd, was crowned the 2019 Regional Spelling Bee winner Tuesday at Sourcewell in Staples.
What began with 31 students from throughout Region 5 was eventually narrowed to two: Moddes and Zander Peterson of Aitkin. After misspelling the word ‘gravitas,’ Peterson stepped back. Moddes' word was ‘magistrate.’ Correctly spelling the word as presented by judges, Moddes then had to spell a champion word before being declared winner.
Apothecary. A-P-O-T-H-E-C-A-R-Y.
And the 2019 winner was crowned.
“We are so proud of Hannah and all of our spelling bee finalists,” said Sourcewell Student Academic Coordinator Katie Embree. “Each of these students did an amazing job. To qualify for the Regional Spelling Bee, they won their respective classroom, grade, school, and district spelling bees. So, to make it to this level is a huge accomplishment in and of itself.”
Moddes, daughter of Megan Korte and Daniel Moddes of Baxter, will now move on to represent Region 5 at the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee May 26-31 in Washington D.C. Sourcewell will pay all expenses for Moddes and one parent or guardian to attend.
“It is truly an honor to support and encourage students to dive deep in their academic careers,” Embree said, adding the Scripps National Spelling Bee will be live streamed. “We wish Hannah all the best in Washington D.C. and can't wait to cheer her on!”
For more information about the Regional Bee and other academic programming, visit www.sourcewell-mn.gov.
Sourcewell (formerly National Joint Powers Alliance) is a self-supporting government organization, partnering with education, government, and nonprofits to boost student and community success. Created in 1978 as one of Minnesota's nine service cooperatives, we offer training and shared services to our central-Minnesota members. Throughout North America, we offer a cooperative purchasing program with more than 300 awarded vendors on contract. Sourcewell is driven by service and the ability to strategically reinvest in member communities.