MIDDLE TOWNSHIP — Seventh grader Julia Quinn became the youngest contestant to ever win the Middle Township Middle School spelling bee last Fri. when she defeated her classmate Brianna Robinson after 37 grueling rounds. The contest featured 32 participants and lasted almost two hours.
Quinn, who now will compete in The South Jersey Spelling and Vocabulary Bee at Folsom Elementary School on March 11, took the local title by correctly spelling the word, “maudlin.” For 14 rounds she battled Robinson head to head before Robinson misspelled “aplomb.” Third place was taken by eighth grader Sergio Miller.
Julia has had plenty of preparation for becoming the first seventh grader to win the contest. She competed at Elementary School 2 as a fourth and fifth grader, and at The PAC as a sixth grade student.
The Scripps Spelling Bee at Folsom will include champions from Cape May, Atlantic, Cumberland, Salem and Gloucester counties. The winner goes on to Washington for the national finals this spring.
The bee was held under the direction of Middle School literary teacher, Constance Chabok.
