VALDOSTA, GA – On March 1, 2014, the Lowndes County School System spelling bee winner, Joyce Liu of Hahira Middle, participated in the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE) District Nine Spelling Bee.  GAE District Nine includes over 20 school systems in South Georgia and Southwest Georgia.  The GAE District Nine Spelling Bee was held at C. A. Gray Junior High School in Moultrie, GA.

There were twenty-one students at the district spelling bee.  Joyce placed third.  She will be an alternate, and will participate in the state spelling bee on March 21 if the top two spellers cannot attend.  Joyce will receive a prize of $100 as the third place winner.

It is interesting to note that Joyce’s parents and Mrs. Shirley Davis protested her elimination because she did spell her elimination word correctly and the pronouncer stated that the word was spelled correctly.  The judges did not hear the letter correctly.  However, as outlined in the rules which are read at the start of the bee, the judges’ decision is final.

Source: Lowndes County School System Press Release