After an exciting two hours of spelling on Wednesday night, Higgins Middle School sixth-grader Gabe Goldman established himself as the winner of the 3rd Annual Higgins Middle School Spelling Bee. The Bee, which is sponsored by the Peabody Education Foundation and hosted by the Northshore Mall, featured thirty students from grades 6, 7, and 8. Eight-grader Stephen May grabbed the second place spot, while seventh-grader Andeemae Sims took third. Last year’s Bee champion Ashley Royer took a respectable fourth place in this year’s Bee. PEF member and Higgins media specialist Sudi Smoller, who organizes the Bee and the practices leading up to the main event, notes that many of the spellers participating in the Bee have also taken the stage in previous years; some students participated in the first Spelling Bee as sixth-graders and have made it to the final event for three years. Additional information about last night’s Bee, as well as pictures and videos from the event, can be found on the Peabody Patch.

The Peabody Education Foundation would like to thank the Northshore Mall for continuing to host and support the Spelling Bee, as well as the members of the PEF who assisted with planning, setting up, judging, and organizing the event. Congratulations to the winners, and to all of the spellers who competed last night!