Spelling Bee Champs Win with ‘Pasteurize,’ ‘Restaurant,’ ‘Idolatrous,’ and ‘Biscuit’

Four Santa Barbara students will compete for state prizes after winning the County Spelling Bee last Thursday.

Fiona Zhou, a 6th grader at Brandon School in Goleta, took first place in the elementary division by correctly spelling “pasteurize.” Dane Polchin, a 6th grader at Roosevelt School in Santa Barbara, took second place with “restaurant.” Third place went to Loki Dunbar, a 6th grader at Laguna Blanca School. His winning word was “gossamer.”

In the junior high division, Victoria Chen, an 8th grader from Goleta Valley Junior High, took first by spelling “idolatrous.” Second went to Katherine Ball, a 9th grader from Laguna Blanca School. Her winning word was “biscuit.” Third place was secured by Owen Hennessee, a 7th grader from Santa Barbara Junior High, with “dechlorinate.”

The top two winners in each division will proceed to the state level. The 2020 Elementary State Spelling Bee, for grades 4 through 6, will be held May 9 at the San Joaquin County Office of Education in Stockton. The 2020 State Junior High Spelling Bee, for grades 7 through 9, will be held May 2 at Miller Creek Middle School in San Rafael.