(Times photo - Top and center Cindy Yurth, Bottom Noel Lyn Smith)
TOP: Central Agency Spelling Bee winners and runners-up included, front row, left to right, sixth grade winner Abraham Aruguete from Chinle Elementary School and runner-up Toran Jack from Mesa View Elementary School; fourth grade runner-up Audrey Francis from Piñon Elementary School and winner Cairo Nez from Mesa View Elementary School; fifth grade runner-up Jaclyn Jack from Piñon and winner Noel Reed from Many Farms Elementary School; back row, left to right, seventh grade runner-up Aarish Raza and winner Samuel Yeager, both from Chinle Junior High; eighth grade runner-up Terence Yazzie from Round Rock Community School and winner Miguel Musngi from Piñon Community School.
CENTER: Winners of the Western Agency Spelling Bee are, front row, left to right, sixth grade winner Maria Lucero from Moencopi Day School, fifth grade runner-up Shynelle Tallman from Moencopi Day School, sixth grade runner-up and spell-off winner Edick Nuesca from Eagles' Nest Intermediate School, fourth grade winner Alannah-Grace Mangubat from Tuba City Boarding School, fourth grade runner-up Jayme Begay from Tuba City Boarding School; and, back row, left to right, seventh grade winner Alicia Valenzuela from Hotevilla/Bacavi Community School, fifth grade winner Alexus Maravilla from Eagles' Nest, eighth grade runner-up Patrick Jansen Malazarte from Tuba City Junior High, eighth grade winner and spell-off runner-up Sonny Ramey from Hotevilla/Bacavi Community School, and seventh grade runner-up Tomás Nez from Tuba City Boarding School.
BOTTOM: Finalists at the spelling bee held Feb. 15 at The Phil in Shiprock include, front row, left to right, first runner-up Emma Mohs, a fourth grader from Atsa Biyaazh Community School; champion Nigel Sam, a fourth grader from Bluff Elementary School; champion Amari Jones, a fifth grader from Bluff Elementary School; first runner-up Shayonna Begay, a fifth grader from Atsa Biyaazh Community School; and, second row, left to right, champion Mariah Toledo, a sixth grader from Atsa Biyaazh Community School; first runner-up Frankie Moreno, a seventh grader from Red Mesa Junior High School; champion Kia Peshlakai, a seventh grader from Shiprock Northwest High School; champion Cory Sagg, an eighth grader from Red Mesa Junior High School; and first runner-up Lorissa Benally, an eighth grader from Shiprock Northwest High School.
These students and the Eastern Agency winners, chosen Feb. 9, will square off March 15 at the Navajo Nation Spelling Bee at the Phil Thomas Center for the Performing Arts in Shiprock. Winners are listed in order starting with first place.
Chinle Agency
- Fourth grade: Cairo Nez, Mesa View Elementary School; Audrey Francis, Piñon Elementary School.
- Fifth grade: Noel Reed, Many Farms Elementary School; Jaclyn Jack, Piñon Elementary.
- Sixth grade: Abraham Aruguete, Chinle Elementary School; Toran Jack, Mesa View Elementary.
- Seventh grade: Samuel Yeager, Chinle Junior High; Aarish Raza, Chinle Junior High.
- Eighth grade: Miguel Musngi, Piñon Junior High; Terence Yazzie, Round Rock Junior High
Western Agency
- Fourth grade: Alannah-Grace Mangubat, Tuba City Boarding School; Jayme Begay, Tuba City Boarding School.
- Fifth grade: Alexus Maravilla, Eagles Nest Intermediate School; Shynelle Tallman, Moencopi Day School.
- Sixth grade: Maria Lucero, Moencopi Day School; Edick Nuesca, Eagles Nest Intermediate.
- Seventh grade: Alicia Valenzuela, Hotevilla-Bacavi Community School; Tomás Nez, Tuba City Boarding School.
- Eighth grade: Sonny Ramey, Hotevilla-Bacavi Community School; Patrick Jansen Malazarte, Tuba City Junior High.
- Championship Spell-Off: Edick Nuesca, Eagles Nest Intermediate; Sonny Ramey, Hotevilla-Bacavi Community School.
Northern Agency
- Fourth grade: Nigel Sam, Bluff Elementary School; Emma Mohs, Atsa Biyaazh Community School.
- Fifth grade: Amari Jones, Bluff Elementary; Shayonna Begay, Atsa Biyaazh.
- Sixth grade: Mariah Toledo, Atsa Biyaazh; Ramon Oldman, Montezuma Creek Elementary School.
- Seventh grade: Kia Peshlakai, Shiprock Northwest High; Frankie Moreno, Red Mesa Junior High.
- Eighth grade: Cory Sagg, Red Mesa Junior High; Lorissa Benally, Shiprock Northwest High.
Fort Defiance Agency
- Fourth grade: Adam Aseret, St. Michael Indian School; Aliandria Upshaw, Hilltop Christian School; Eshawna Preston, Ganado Intermediate School.
- Fifth grade: JB Miguel A. Fortuno, Tséhootsooí Elementary School; Nizhoni Garcia, Window Rock Elementary School; Michael Milford, Hilltop Christian.
- Sixth grade: Ronnie Ramone, Ganado Intermediate School; Autumn Jim, St. Michael; Sidney Waite, St. Michael.
- Seventh grade: Tonya Bluehorse, Tséhootsooí Middle School; U'lyah Begay, Tséhootsooí Mid; Elliot Pete, Greasewood Springs Community School.
- Eighth grade: Terran Ben, St. Michael; Courtney Hale, St. Michael; Chasity Garcia, Ganado Middle School.
Eastern Agency
- Fourth grade: Desmond Benally, Ojo Encino Day School; Kylee DeGroat, Crownpoint Elementary School; Menico Bahe, Ojo Encino.
- Fifth grade: Ralim Westmoreland, Baca Dló'áyázhí Community School; Brandon Sandoval, Crownpoint Elementary; Haley Delgarito, Baca Dló'áyázhí.
- Sixth grade: Stacey Yazzie, Baca Dló'áyázhí; Alia Ballon, Crownpoint Middle School; Trent Kee, Baca Dló'áyázhí.
- Seventh grade: Sondra Long, Crownpoint Mid; Adrian Manygoats, Ojo Encino; Rylee DeGroat, Crownpoint Mid.
- Eighth grade: Allysia Tsosie, Camelia Yazzie and Nizhoni Rogers, all from Crownpoint Mid.