Wildwood Fifth Grader Holds Crowd ‘Spellbound’ to Win Championship

WILDWOOD — How do you spell “win?” Try s-h-i-a-t-s-u. Just ask fifth grader Ezequiel Palacios, Glenwood Avenue Elementary School’s 2014 spelling bee champion. Palacios bested 29 fellow students to begin the first steps on his journey to being named the best speller in the United States.
Palacios took the title of best speller on Feb. 20 during Glenwood Avenue’s first-ever foray as a participant in the Scripps National Spelling Bee program. According to Scripps, tens of thousands of schools enroll in the program in the fall of each school year. Through a series of spelling bees held locally, spellers are eliminated one word at a time. This year will find champions from individual bees gathering in Washington, D.C. during the week of May 25 through 31 to participate in the National Spelling Bee.
Sixty-five fourth and fifth grade students from Glenwood Avenue signed up to participate in their school’s spelling bee. On Feb. 3, each student was presented with a spelling list of more than 100 spelling words. A mini spelling bee was held Feb. 13 to whittle down the 65 to 30. Students passing the first spell-off were presented with another list of words to study. With over 200 words to learn, students took their spelling very seriously.
Tracey Melchiorre, who serves as the literacy coach for students in grades pre-k through eighth grade, served as coordinator for Glenwood Avenue’s bee. She said 148 words, such as expunge, freight, vouch, avenge, morale, carriage and legacy were all used during the championship contest.
Before an audience of third, fourth and fifth grade students, as well as their parents, each participant was called up to the microphone. District Curriculum Coordinator Josepha Penrose served as Bee Pronouncer. As the words became more difficult and nerves frayed, more and more students sat down as they misspelled their words. At the end of the competition, Palacios stood and spelled his word, “shiatsu” correctly.
In addition to winning bragging rights as being the best speller in the school, Palacios also won a trophy and an online subscription to the Encyclopedia Britannica for Children.
While he alone stood before the microphone to spell, the fifth grader attributes his success to the support he has received from those around him. “Although you may think you’re alone,” he stated, “family and friends are always by your side.”
“This took a tremendous amount of work for each of the students who participated,” said Wildwood Mayor Ernie Troiano, Jr. “The City of Wildwood congratulates Ezequiel on his accomplishment. We know he will represent his school and his community well as he continues in the Scripps program.”
“Ezequiel is a good speller and an excellent student,” added Melchiorre. “I think he has an excellent shot at going to nationals.” Before heading to Washington, however, Palacios will face several more spelling contests, the first of which, the South Jersey Regional Spelling Bee, will be held March 22 at Galloway Township Middle School.
“I know his family will be helping him study for that,” said Melchiorre, “and I’ll help him study for it here in school.”
In the meantime, Palacios hopes to keep his eye on the prize and is looking forward to the opportunity of representing the City of Wildwood in Washington, D.C. this spring.