Tomball ISD 2022-2023 Spelling Bee Champions Crowned

TOMBALL - Tomball ISD celebrated campus Spelling Champions at the annual District Spelling Bee and Spanish Spelling Bee Competitions, hosted at the Tomball Event Center.

DISTRICT SPELLING BEE

Creekside Park Junior High student and reigning National Spelling Bee participant Ishika Varipilli captured a first place finish at the District Spelling Bee. She competed through 31 rounds and took home top honors after spelling ‘golem’ correctly.

Oakcrest Intermediate’s Manthan Panchal took second and Grand Lakes Junior High student Elina Chatterjee took third.

The District Spelling Bee featured campus winners from across the district who participated at their respective school and earned a spot to compete for an overall crown. 

As the District’s overall winner, Ishika Varipilli will move on to the area level and represent Tomball ISD at the Houston Public Media Spelling Bee later this year. From there, the top two spellers of the Houston Public Media Spelling Bee will advance to the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee; expenses paid by Houston Public Media. The 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee is planned for National Harbor, Maryland, May 31 – June 2.

Campus Champions - Spelling Bee
Canyon Pointe Elementary - Andrew Wright
Creekside Forest Elementary - Vihaan Shah
1ST - Creekside Park Junior High - Ishika Varipilli
Creekview Elementary - Mark Bui
Decker Prairie Elementary - Grant Wicker
3RD - Grand Lakes Junior High - Elina Chatterjee
Grand Oaks Elementary - Emma Marin
Lakewood Elementary - Jonathan Mathews
Northpointe Intermediate - Dheeraj Kumar
2ND - Oakcrest Intermediate - Manthan Panchal
Rosehill Elementary - Clara Kibler
Timber Creek Elementary - Cole Obrock
Tomball Elementary - Khalia Muse
Tomball Intermediate - Brendan Nguyen
Tomball Junior High - Megan Esguerra
Wildwood Elementary - Aisha Mohammed
Willow Creek Elementary - Alec Aranda
Willow Wood Junior High - Moiz Shaikh

DISTRICT SPANISH SPELLING BEES

Rosehill Elementary student Dylan Perez captured the top finish in the Spanish Spelling Bee for Grades 3-5. Following in second place and third place, respectively, were Tomball Intermediate student David Flores Flores and Rosehill Elementary student Karla Garcia Cardenas. 

Campus Champions - Spanish Spelling Bee, Grades 3-5
Canyon Pointe Elementary - Jose Argueta
Canyon Pointe Elementary - Flavia Solis
Canyon Pointe Elementary - Anabella Suarez
Lakewood Elementary - Ricardo Castellanos Pliego
Oakcrest Intermediate - Dayra Trujillo
Oakcrest Intermediate - Camila Vizcaino Sanchez
Oakcrest Intermediate - Bailey Mendoza
Rosehill Elementary - Marco Montes
1ST - Rosehill Elementary - Dylan Perez
3RD - Rosehill Elementary - Karla Garcia Cardenas
Tomball Intermediate - Arileydi Padilla 
2ND - Tomball Intermediate - David Flores Flores
Tomball Intermediate - Mia Mejia

After 15 rounds, Rosehill Elementary’s Dylan Perez spelled the final word, ‘motocicleta’ correctly to advance to the Regional Competition, hosted by the Region 20 Education Service Center in San Antonio on Feb. 1, 2023. Regional winners will have a chance to compete at the National Spanish Spelling Bee competition next summer, also held in San Antonio. 

Creekside Park Junior High student Emilio Fuentes captured the top finish in the Spanish Spelling Bee, grades 6-8. Following in second place and third place, respectively, were Grand Lakes Junior High student Nicole Haase and Tomball Junior High student Sophia Suazo.

Campus Champions - Spanish Spelling Bee,  Grades 6-8 
1ST - Creekside Park Junior High - Emilio Fuentes
Creekside Park Junior High - Jose Ramon Quevedo
Creekside Park Junior High - Carlos De Herrera
2ND - Grand Lakes Junior High - Nicole Haase
Grand Lakes Junior High - Erika Montero Vazquez
Grand Lakes Junior High - Emilio Ojeda
Oakcrest Intermediate - Angel Leon Gomez
Oakcrest Intermediate - Ethan Haase
Oakcrest Intermediate - Victor Solis Lopez
Tomball Intermediate - Luz Ojeda Vanegas
Tomball Intermediate - Juan Juarez
Tomball Intermediate - Karenny Lule
Tomball Junior High - Tamera Fuerte
3RD - Tomball Junior High - Sophia Suazo
Tomball Junior High - Romina Camacho
Willow Wood Junior High - Jonathan Ulloa
Willow Wood Junior High - Isabel Jerez Weir
Willow Wood Junior High - David Castellanos Pliego 

Emilio Fuentes spelled the final words ’umbelifero’ and ‘casuistico’ correctly to advance to the Regional Competition, hosted by the Region 20 Education Service Center in San Antonio on Feb. 1, 2023. Regional winners will have a chance to compete at the National Spanish Spelling Bee competition next summer, also held in San Antonio.

ABOUT TOMBALL ISD
Tomball ISD educates students to become responsible, productive citizens by providing innovative, individually rigorous, and personally valuable educational experiences. Founded in 1908, Tomball ISD now encompasses 83 square miles in northwest Harris County and southwest Montgomery County, and is located approximately 30 miles from downtown Houston. The district currently educates nearly 22,000 students at 22 campuses.