Do you think you’re smarter than a fifth grader?
Parents swarmed into the auditorium of Canarsie’s P.S. 115 on Wednesday, January 11th and rooted for their children during the Department of Education’s Brooklyn South Regional Spelling Bee – all abuzz with challenging words!
Nearly 100 students participated in the competition, which lasted more than three hours in the Daniel Mucatel School’s auditorium at 1500 East 92nd Street. Many were sharp, but words like “filibuster” and “formaldehyde” stumped even the most polished worker bee.
Students in Districts 17, 18, 20, 21 and 22, ranging from elementary to middle school grades, took on six rounds of the tournament. In an effort to outspell each other, contestants asked for the meanings and origins of words like “jaundice,” “commiseration” and “appendages” – which eliminated several who made it to the top 10.
Principal Jonathan Lee told the Canarsie Courier that this was the first time P.S. 115 hosted the competition and some words were challenging for even him!
