RIVERSIDE – Twenty-nine spellers from Riverside County charter schools, private schools, and school districts will compete at the 42nd Annual Riverside County Spelling Bee set for 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at the Moreno Valley Conference and Recreation Center (14075 Frederick Street, Moreno Valley, CA 92553).
The winner of the bee will earn a spot in the 92nd Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in Maryland from May 26–31, 2019.
Participating spellers making return visits to the county competition include:
- Aisha Randhawa, Grade 8, Auburndale Intermediate School, Corona-Norco USD (5th appearance, 3-time champion)
- Nathan Marth, Grade 7, Eagle Mountain School, Desert Center USD (4th appearance)
- Hope Edwards, Grade 7, San Jacinto Leadership Academy, San Jacinto USD (3rd appearance)
- Rishabh Nayak, Grade 8, Highland Academy Charter School (2nd appearance)
After being named the champion at the 2016, 2017, and 2018 events, Aisha Randhawa will compete for an unprecedented fourth straight victory and fourth appearance in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Participants in the 42nd Annual Riverside County Spelling Bee include:
*indicates alternates
Alvord USD
Aidan Karagulleyan, McAuliffe Elementary School – Grade 5
*Nicholas Neimeyer, Rosemary Kennedy Elementary School – Grade 5
Banning USD
Mariana Padilla, Nicolet Middle School – Grade 8
*Eric Vazquez, Nicolet Middle School – Grade 7
Beaumont USD
Savannah Sontoski, Mountain View Middle School – Grade 7
*Redentor Cabrera, San Gorgonio Middle School – Grade 6
Coachella Valley USD
Jorge Magaña, Mountain Vista Elementary School – Grade 5
*Julian Torres, Cesar Chavez Elementary School – Grade 6
Corona-Norco USD
Aisha Randhawa, Auburndale Intermediate School – Grade 8
*Jadon Causing, El Cerrito Middle School – Grade 6
Desert Center USD
Nathan Marth, Eagle Mountain School – Grade 7
*Brenda Ramos, Eagle Mountain School – Grade 7
Desert Sands USD
Dylan Le, Washington Charter School – Grade 4
*Saige Yang, Ronald Reagan Elementary School – Grade 5
Encore School for the Arts
Sabria Rose, Encore School for the Arts – Grade 8
Hemet USD
Ernie Ordaniel, Dartmouth Middle School – Grade 8
*Yudhister Kumar, Western Center Academy – Grade 7
Highland Academy Charter School
Rishabh Nayak, Highland Academy Charter School – Grade 8
*Nathan Bishop, Highland Academy Charter School – Grade 8
Inspire Charter Schools
Eliza Friederang, Inspire Charter School – Grade 5
*Madelyn Buchberger, Inspire Charter School – Grade 5
Lake Elsinore USD
Ava Cleary, Cottonwood Canyon Elementary School – Grade 5
*Diego Garcia, Railroad Canyon Elementary School – Grade 5
Menifee Union SD
Darren Luu, Hans Christensen Middle School – Grade 6
*Diella Tadeo, Oak Meadows Elementary School – Grade 5
Moreno Valley USD
Swetha Jayasinghe, Cloverdale Elementary School – Grade 5
*Giuliana Fernando, Mountain View Middle School – Grade 7
Murrieta Valley USD
Diego Williams, Dorothy McElhinney Middle School – Grade 8
*Tyler Muenzer, Antelope Hills Elementary School – Grade 5
Nuview Union SD
Madison Roberts, Mountain Shadows Middle School – Grade 7
*Jaylah Coulter, Mountain Shadows Middle School – Grade 7
Oakhill Academy
Grace Zhang, Oakhill Academy – Grade 4
*Cesar Bermell, Oakhill Academy – Grade 7
Palm Springs USD
Luke Jin, Cielo Vista Charter School – Grade 6
*Adriel de la Cruz, Raymond Cree Middle School – Grade 6
Palo Verde USD
Antonio Barron, Margaret White Elementary School – Grade 4
*Xarra Mejia, Ruth Brown Elementary School – Grade 7
Pechanga School
Daisy Perches, Pechanga School – Grade 4
*Cadence Huegel, Pechanga School – Grade 5
Perris Union High SD
Ashley Escobedo Nuñez, California Military Institute – Grade 5
*Valerie Franco, California Military Institute – Grade 5
Romoland SD
Chase Abrantes, Boulder Ridge Elementary School – Grade 5
*Lizbeth Centeno, Ethan A. Chase Elementary School – Grade 6
San Jacinto USD
Hope Edwards, San Jacinto Leadership Academy – Grade 7
*Marissa Vargas, Megan Cope Elementary School – Grade 4
Santa Rosa Academy
Ben Del Rio, Santa Rosa Academy – Grade 6
*Gabrielle Focht, Santa Rosa Academy – Grade 4
St. Jeanne de Lestonnac
Alexander Santiago, St. Jeanne de Lestonnac – Grade 8
*Rafaella Streegan, St. Jeanne de Lestonnac – Grade 5
Temecula International Academy
Saritah Sinha, Temecula International Academy – Grade 7
*Arianna Tucker, Temecula International Academy – Grade 6
Temecula Valley USD
Nickolas Doan, Nicolas Valley Elementary School – Grade 5
*Faizan Niazi, Temecula Middle School – Grade 8
Val Verde USD
Samantha Alfaro, Lakeside Middle School – Grade 8
*Armando Alfaro II, May Ranch Elementary School – Grade 5
Van Avery Preparatory School
Simon Bricker, Van Avery Preparation School – Grade 7
*Kylie Watson, Van Avery Preparatory School – Grade 5