After winning Darlington's annual spelling bee, fifth-grader Rosalie Fife and eighth-grader Finley Laliberte advanced to compete in the Round 1 Qualifier of the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) Spelling Bee.
Each independent school across the state was invited to send only two participants, making selection for the event a distinction in itself. From that highly competitive field, just 28 students were chosen to move on to the state finals.
Laliberte secured one of those coveted spots and will compete in the GISA State Spelling Bee Finals in Macon on Tuesday, Feb. 24.
"Advancing to the finals reflects exceptional preparation, perseverance, and composure under pressure," said Rebekah Kinney, assistant director of Pre-K to 8. "Both students represented their school with confidence, determination, and grace throughout the competition. Their achievement highlights a strong commitment to academic excellence, vocabulary development, and the pursuit of intellectual challenges."
