RIVERSIDE – Elementary and middle school students from Riverside County public, charter, and private schools, will compete in the 46th Annual Riverside County Spelling Bee starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 28, at the Riverside County Office of Education Conference Center (4280 Brockton Avenue, Riverside, CA). The event is free and open to the public.
“The competitors in the Riverside County Spelling Bee are demonstrating far more than their impressive mastery of words. Students are also learning valuable skills for their future by way of their commitment to prepare, the self-discipline to study, and the self-confidence to step up to the stage as a public speaker,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez.
A total of 27 students will compete for a spot in the Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in Maryland from May 28 to May 30, 2024. In 2023, Corona-Norco Unified School District seventh grade student Avijeet Randhawa was the winner.
Spellers making a return visit to the Riverside County competition include:
- Profess Adhikari, Springs Charter Schools - Grade 7
- Devin Barcello, Chammakilawish Pechanga School - Grade 5
- Parker Buchanan, Santa Rosa Academy - Grade 5
- Elijah Decano, Menifee Union SD - Grade 5
- Sabine Gimenez, Mission Vista Academy - Grade 7
- Alexa Magaña, Coachella Valley USD - Grade 7
- Victoria Michael-Taiwo, Lake Elsinore USD - Grade 5
- Nirvaan Nettimi, Desert Sands USD - Grade 5
- Avijeet Randhawa, Corona-Norco USD - Grade 8
- Chris Isaac Tabaloc, Beaumont USD - Grade 7
Participants in the 46th Riverside County Spelling Bee include (*indicates alternates)
Alvord USD
- Alina Granados, Arizona Middle School - Grade 8
- *Matthew Taylor, Ysmael Villegas Middle School - Grade 6
Banning USD
- Zaden Zamudio, Hemmerling Elementary School - Grade 4
- *Ricco Winslow, Central Elementary School - Grade 4
Beaumont USD
- Chris Isaac Tabaloc, Mountain View Middle School - Grade 7
- *Dean Lukacs, Three Rings Ranch Elementary School - Grade 5
Chammakilawish Pechanga School
- Devin Barcello, Chammakilawish Pechanga School - Grade 5
Coachella Valley USD
- Alexa Magaña, Toro Canyon Middle School - Grade 7
- *Alijah Torosio, Westside School - Grade 6
Corona-Norco USD
- Avijeet Randhawa, Auburndale Intermediate - Grade 8
- *Matthew Mitra, Philistine Rondo School of Discovery - Grade 4
Desert Center USD
- Drew Castor, Eagle Mountain School - Grade 6
- *Mason Villafana, Eagle Mountain School - Grade 7
Desert Sands USD
- Marlo Bachli, Palm Desert Charter Middle School - Grade 7
- *Nirvaan Nettimi, George Washington Charter School - Grade 5
Hemet USD
- Esteban (Stevie) Castro, Cawston Elementary School - Grade 5
- *Aniza Mira Malumay, Acacia Middle School - Grade 7
Lake Elsinore USD
- Victoria Michael-Taiwo, Tuscany Hills Elementary School - Grade 5
- *Daniel Aguirre, Earl Warren Elementary School - Grade 5
Menifee Union SD
- Elijah Decano, Southshore Elementary School - Grade 5
- *Karla Carapia, Menifee Valley Middle School - Grade 8
Mission Vista Academy
- Sabine Gimenez, Mission Vista Academy - Grade 7
Moreno Valley USD
- Clarabelle Khuc, Sunnymead Middle School - Grade 8
- *Aiden Saint-Aubin, Seneca Elementary School - Grade 4
Murrieta Valley USD
- Ketandy Reyes, Rail Ranch Elementary School - Grade 5
- *Elias Dominguez, Warm Springs Middle School – Grade 7
Nuview Union SD
- Bailey Hayman, Valley View Elementary School - Grade 4
- *Briella Perez, Nuview Elementary School - Grade 4
Palm Springs USD
- Brittanie Holly Ilustrisimo, James Workman Middle School - Grade 8
Palm Valley School
- Sahasra Ogili, Palm Valley School - Grade 4
- *Mark Huber, Palm Valley School - Grade 5
Palo Verde USD
- Daniel Milke, Ruth Brown Elementary School - Grade 7
REACH Leadership STEAM Academy
- Johnny Gomez, REACH Leadership STEAM Academy - Grade 5
- *Melaku Heikaus-Weaver, REACH Leadership STEAM Academy - Grade 4
Riverside USD
- Kaden Yin, Mark Twain Elementary School - Grade 4
- *Liam Blanford, Mark Twain Elementary School - Grade 6
Romoland SD
- Benjamin Curcie, Harvest Valley Elementary School - Grade 5
- *Olivia Mosby, Romoland Elementary School - Grade 4
Santa Rosa Academy
- Parker Buchanan, Santa Rosa Academy - Grade 5
Springs Charter Schools
- Profess Adhikari, River Springs Charter School - Grade 7
- *Hunter Brooks, River Springs Charter School - Grade 8
Temecula International Academy
- Raven Moreno, Temecula International Academy - Grade 6
- *Bryce Peterson, Temecula International Academy - Grade 4
Temecula Valley USD
- Kiyara Gunawardena, Abby Reinke Elementary School - Grade 4
- *Ethan Fu, Temecula Luiseno Elementary School - Grade 4
Val Verde USD
- Nathan Nyugen, Lakeside Middle School - Grade 8
- *Tri Turner, Lasselle Elementary School - Grade 4
Van Avery Prep
- Isaac Vo, Van Avery Prep - Grade 7
- *Lillien Winiger, Van Avery Prep - Grade 7