John Willoughby: Greene Publishing, Inc.
Two students from Madison County traveled to Jacksonville to participate in the 74th Annual First Coast Spelling Bee, presented by Chick-Fil-A on Friday, March 9.
Erin Burnett (left) and Riley Browning (right) attended the First Coast Spelling Bee in Jacksonville on Friday, March 9. The two MCAA students were among 24 other students, representing 14 area counties in Florida.
Riley Browning and Erin Burnett, both of Madison Creative Arts Academy (MCAA), took the stage at the historic Florida Theater to test their spelling skills for a chance to represent the First Coast at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, neither student placed, but the experience was one of a lifetime. The road to Jacksonville began on Tuesday, Dec. 5, when Burnett won first place in the fifth grade division and Browning won first place in the seventh grade division. Browning was also selected as the district winner, and Burnett was the district runner-up.
Browning and Burnett were among 24 students from Baker, Clay, Nassau, Duval, Alachua, Columbia, Suwannee, Hamilton, Putnam, St. Johns, Flagler, and Bradford counties to compete in the spelling bee.