St. Anne School in Lancaster has something to be very proud of today.
7th grade student, Hannah Ciscay made a valiant effort in today’s National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.
Everybody knows how incredibly hard those words are that the kids are expected to spell, most adults can’t even pronounce them.
Teachers at St. Anne School say they aren’t too surprised she made it to D.C.
Students on the other hand can’t believe it and they definitely weren’t holding back their excitement today.
Kids gathered in the gymnasisum screaming at the tops of their lungs, “Hannah, Hannah, Hannah.”
And watching intently as students got up one by one to spell their fate. Bestfriends Sydney and Maddie were crossing their fingers this didn’t happen to Hannah:
“Awww shucks,” said a speller who just got booted from the first round of the semi-finals.
Hannah’s Language Arts teacher can’t stop raving about her.
“For her to make it to the top 41, we’re just ecstatic for her,” says Karen Henry.
And her friends either.
HER FRIENDS EITHER.
“We’re all rooting for her,” says a friend fo Hannah’s, Sydney Neuman.
But just how much she’s studied to get this far is up for debate.
“Hannah’s one of those people who’s like it’s going to go the way it’s going to go and I’m going to try my hardest,” says a friend, Maddie Smith.
“When I saw the words yesterday of the words she had been spelling I knew she had been studying,” says Henry.
With words that most of us wouldn’t even attempt to pronounce..
“Drupiferous?” asked a speller.
Hannah’s teachers say no matter what happens
(Bell rings)
She’s at the top of their list.
“Win or lose we are extremely proud of her and we will have the banners out no matter what the outcome,” says St. Anne School’s principal, Suzanne Wood.
Hannah spelled both words from the semi-final round correctly. Now you would think Hannah moves on to the final round, but the rules are a little different this year.
All students take a test before the spelling bee and the scores are factored into who makes it to the final round.
Hannah didn’t make it.
Teachers say Hannah is giving other students hope for a chance at the Bee next year.
“Never in our wildest dreams did we think one of our students would be on ESPN so she has given the spelling bee here at St. Anne’s a new face that this is something we can do, it’s something that we can attain and strive for,” says Henry.