Northcutt Fifth Grade Student Wins GGUSD Spelling Bee

Spelling Bee winners

Northcutt Elementary School fifth grade student Joaquin Ablis was named champion of Garden Grove Unified School District’s 35th Annual Spelling Bee for elementary students held on February 22 at the Edgar District Meeting Center. 

Ablis correctly spelled the deciding word, dissipateto become the top speller among 44 elementary schools in GGUSD. Second place went to Zeyen Elementary School sixth grade student Katelyn Tang.

The Spelling Bee is organized by the Office of K-6 Instruction and includes each elementary schools’ top speller from fourth through sixth grade. GGUSD Board of Education Trustee Lan Nguyen, Superintendent Gabriela Mafi, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education Lisa Swartz, Assistant Superintendent of K-12 Educational Services Lorena Sanchez, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Rick Nakano, and Assistant Superintendent of Special Education and Student Services Valerie Shedd attended the Spelling Bee to cheer on the students. The event was also livestreamed for family members and friends who could not attend in person.

“The Spelling Bee is a longtime tradition in our district that showcases the outstanding academic skills of our students who invest many hours preparing and strengthening their vocabulary, literacy, study skills, and self-confidence,” said Board of Education Trustee Lan Nguyen.