Sophomore Julian Canales Wins Spelling Bee Title

Julian Canales won the Huntington High School spelling bee championship on Thursday afternoon in the auditorium, besting runner-up Christina Ray and third place finisher Ludo Cattano. The event was organized by the Post Ellipsis chapter of the National English Honor Society.

This year’s winning word was the noun “pterodactyl,” which the Oxford dictionary defines as “a pterosaur (flying reptile) of the genus Pterodactylus or the family Pterodactylidae, having a long, slender head and neck and a very short tail and known from fossil remains of the late Jurassic period. Also more widely: any pterosaur of the Mesozoic era.”

The officers of Huntington’s Post Ellipsis chapter of the National English Honor Society spent weeks planning this year’s event. A preliminary spelling test was administered in English classes with the top scorers advancing to the finals in the auditorium.

The spelling bee finals played out over three periods. The competition was closely contested. English Honor Society officers chose the words posed to contestants and created the sentences used in the competition itself. Students were allowed to attend the event during their free periods or lunch periods or if their respective teacher brought them down to the auditorium.

Huntington’s English Honor Society is led by President Anne Tyrrell, Vice President Nicholas Plachta, co-Vice President Kathleen Cocoman, Treasurer Alexandra Balm, Secretary Ruby Hoffman and Public Relations Coordinator Cecilina Monge. English teachers Aimee Antorino and Helen Guarino serve as the faculty advisors.

Mr. Plachta, Ms. Tyrrell and Ms. Antorino served as contest judges. Hundreds of students turned out to watch the finals. Principal Rochelle Brown was on hand for the crowning of Mr. Canales and to join in on the festivities.