Kaden Gay of Vinemont Middle wins 95th Cullman County Spelling Bee

CULLMAN, Ala. – The 95th annual Cullman County spelling bee took place at Temple Baptist Church on Monday evening at 7:00 p.m. The contest began with words such as squirm, honeybee, tantrum, science and progressed in difficulty to words such as effusive, pervasive and austere. 

Kaden Gay, 8th grader from Vinemont Middle School, placed first with the correct spelling of the word “remorseful.”

The runner up was Karly Arndt, 7th grade, of St. Bernard Prep.

Vinemont Middle School Principal Johnny Whaley said about Kaden, “We’re all very excited and very proud of him. Kaden is a wonderful kid, just a great kid, very smart, very hardworking, respectful. He’s the type of kid that you want in your school. He’s a very valuable asset to the Vinemont School community and we’re very proud of him.”

Kaden will represent Cullman County at the state spelling bee on Saturday March 26^th at UAB in University Hall. From there, he could go to the Scripps National Spelling Bee on June 1-2 in National Harbor, Maryland.

There were 23 contestants from as young as 3rd grade up to 8th grade.

This year’s contestants included:

• Preslie Basch- 4^th grade, St. Paul’s Lutheran School

• Starr Boyd- 8^th grade, West Point Middle

• Madison Carroll- 8^th grade, Cullman Middle

• Alyssa Casey- 6^th grade, Fairview Middle

• Konnor Dunkin- 7^th grade, Parkside School

• Mylee Echols- 4^th grade, West Point Intermediate

• Isabella Guzman- 5^th grade, Good Hope Elementary

• Scarlett Harbison- 4^th grade, Fairview Elementary

• Samantha Johnson- 5^th grade, Cullman Christian

• Jacob Kane- 8^th grade, Hanceville Middle

• Avery Netherton- 5^th grade, Vinemont Elementary

• Aaron Nichols- 4^th grade, Hanceville Elementary

• Beckitt Nunnelley- 3^rd grade, West Point Elementary

• Audrey Kate Oldacre- 6^th grade, East Elementary

• Nathan Perdue- 8^th grade, Cold Springs Middle

• Manuel Saldana- 5^th grade, Welti School

• Aubrey Scott- 7^th grade, Good Hope Middle
• Gabriel Sullins- 6^th grade, Harmony School

• Melissa Williams- 8^th grade, Holly Pond Middle

• Nehemiah Williams- 6^th grade, Sacred Heart School

• Lucy Williamson- 5^th grade, West Elementary

The judges were Circuit Judge Greg Nicholas, District Judge Rusty Turner, Attorney Champ Crocker and Leah Bolin Owner of Southern Solutions Consulting. The Pronouncer was Renee Chambers, Reading Specialist at Cullman County Schools.

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