Meet the students set to compete in the News Channel 6 Regional Spelling Bee

WICHITA FALLS, TX (TNN) - News Channel 6 is proud to bring Texoma’s best student spellers together in early March!

The News Channel 6 Regional Spelling Bee will take place Saturday, March 9, at the Wichita Falls Independent School District Career Education Center.

Nissan of Wichita Falls is the spelling bee’s presenting sponsor. Students from 18 area schools will compete for the right to fill one spot to represent Texoma in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC.

News Channel 6 will pay the cost of the Texoma winner’s travel to and stay at the national competition. This is the first year News Channel 6 will be the host media organization for the event.

In addition to providing on-air personalities for the spelling bee, News Channel 6 will provide live streaming of the entire event on its digital platforms: newschannel6now.com website, the News Channel 6 Mobile App, News Channel 6 channels on Roku and Amazon Fire and on the News Channel 6 Facebook page.

“What a terrific opportunity to serve this community and support our local children,” said News Channel 6 General Manager, Richard Haddox. “Texoma produces some of the country’s brightest students, and we can’t wait to share that with the world LIVE on all our digital platforms!”

The Career Education Center is located at 500 East Hatton Road. The spelling bee begins at 1:00 p.m.

Students participating:

Aayan Ahmed

Grade: 5th

School: Notre Dame Elementary School

An interesting fact about Aayan, his twin sister, Bismah, was the runner up at their school bee this year. Aayan’s favorite sport is basketball and his favorite book is Jurassic Park. He likes science and math and would like to be a neurosurgeon when he grows up.

Caetano Anderson

Grade: 6th

School: Barwise Middle School

Caetano enjoys playing soccer with his siblings in his free time. His favorite subject in school is math.

Cash Kirkland

Grade: 5th

School: Holliday Elementary School

Cash enjoys playing various sports, going fishing, and playing video games. His favorite subject is math. Cash hopes to be either a fishing guide or an electrician in the future. He looks forward to the spelling bee each year, this is his second school spelling bee championship.

Daniel Kern

Grade: 3rd

School: Christ Academy Elementary School

Daniel moved with his parents and sister Emmaline to Wichita Falls from Tennessee in 2017. Daniel enjoys soccer, swimming, riding his dirt bike, playing with his buddies, playing Pokémon, and Legos. He also enjoys playing boardgames; particularly Monopoly and Yatzy.

Dax Elder

Grade: 4th

School: Woodland Elementary School

Dax is 10 years old. His hobbies include: basketball, football, soccer, and swimming. He also enjoys playing video games and reading. Dax wants to be a veterinarian when he grows up.

Ethan Pettibon

Grade: 5

School: Fowler Elementary School

Ethan likes to play with his dogs. He also likes to play soccer and go fishing. Ethan is part of Power Point club at school. He also would like to be a detective in the FBI when he grows up.

Grady Belcher

Grade: 5th

School West Foundation Elementary School

Grady has participated in UIL ready writing, spelling, and music memory. He also participates in the WFISD Gifted and Talented program in addition to being a member of the West Foundation Choir and Earth Club. He studies Jeet Kun Do at Warrior’s Way Martial Arts Academy where he received his Junior Black Belt at the age of 8. In his free time, Grady enjoys playing with his brother, Griffin, and his cats, Candy Cane and Bumbles.

Helen Li

Grade: 8th

School: McNiel Middle School

Helen is 13 years old. Her favorite movie is “Forest Gump.” Her hobbies include: playing tennis, violin, piano, reading, and watching Netflix.

Kristopher LaPointe

Grade: 3rd

School: Overton Ray Elementary School

Kristopher LaPointe is 8 years old. He competed and won against older students at his school’s bee; this is something he is proud of. He has a crazy imagination, loves to draw and would love to be an artist someday. Kristopher is eager to participate at the regional bee and plans to study hard to prepare for it.

Maggie Ketner

Grade: 5th

School: Ben Franklin Elementary School

Maggie has a younger brother named William and a younger sister named Lila Jane. Her favorite subject in school is social studies. Maggie plays soccer and piano. Her favorite hobby is reading, she loves the Harry Potter series and enjoys reading anything fantasy or fiction.

Maris Harris

Grade: 6th

School: Christ Academy Jr. High School

Maris has attended Christ Academy since 3K and loves her school, family, friends and teachers. She loves reading, traveling, golf, volleyball and basketball. Maris plans to attend college to become a writer.

Nolan Casbeer

Grade: 8th

School: Graham Jr. High School

Nolan is 14 years old. He likes to play baseball in his free time. His favorite book is “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” and his favorite historical figure is Stephen F. Austin. His admiration of Stephen F. Austin was because of his history teacher, Coach Payne. In history class, whenever someone would bring up Stephen F. Austin, Coach Payne would say, “a moment of silence for Stephen F. Austin.” Nolan thought it was funny and it stuck with him, but Nolan also likes Austin because he is the reason why Texas is what it is today.

Samuel McCurdy

Grade: 7th

School: Burkburnett Middle School

Samuel has been reading advanced books above his grade level for a few years now. He previously participated in the spelling bee when he was in the 5th grade but lost. He is excited to be participating at this year’s spelling bee and hopes he wins! But, if he does not, he knows he will have tried his best.

Tucker Edfeldt

Grade: 5th

School: Crockett Elementary

Tucker is 11 years old. He has two younger siblings and a dog. He enjoys: reading, drawing, baking, playing baseball, watching sports, and going to church. He is also involved in UIL and student council at his school. Tucker hopes to be an athletic trainer someday.

Daisy Carmosino

Grade: 5th

School: John Tower Elementary School

Daisy is 11 years old. Her favorite color is blue; her favorite food is Chinese, and she also loves dogs. Her hobbies include: crafts, drawing, and spending time with her family.

Kendyl Thomas

Grade: 3rd

School: Milam Elementary

Kendyl Thomas loves volleyball. She is involved in the Green Club at Milam where they work on ways to recycle. Kendyl has been active in UIL and loves her school.

Nelli Ho

Grade: 5th

School: City View Elementary

Nelli is the youngest of three children, she has an older brother and an older sister. Her hobbies are drawing and photography. Nelli’s favorite book series is Dork Diaries, and she is currently reading the Harry Potter series. Math is her favorite academic subject. In addition to winning her school spelling bee, Nelli competed on City View’s Number Sense and Maps, Graphs, and Charts UIL teams.

Anika Sharmila

Grade: 8th

School: Kirby Middle School

Anika is 13 years old. Her hobbies include: drawing, playing basketball, and baking. She is bilingual and can speak Bangla fluently. She is excited for the opportunity to compete in this year’s regional spelling bee and hopes to do her best.