CONGRATULATIONSto the students participating

in the 2012 Spelling Bee!

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4591 Market St. Ventura, 93003 805.644.4657 I CSFCU.org

We’re rooting for you.

A-S-T-O-N-I-S-H-I-N-G

Amazing

Dazzling

Great

Fantastic

About The Bee

The word bee, as used in spelling bee,is one of those language puzzles that hasnever been satisfactorily accounted for. Afairly old and widely-used word, it refersto a community social gathering at whichfriends and neighbors join together ina single activity (sewing, quilting, barnraising, etc.) usually to help one person orfamily.

The earliest known example in printis a spinning bee, in 1769. Other earlyoccurrences are husking bee (1816),apple bee (1827), and logging bee (1836).

Spelling bee is apparently an Americanterm. It first appeared in print in 1875, butit seems certain that the word was usedorally for several years before that.

Those who used the word, includingmost early students of language,assumed that it was the same word asreferred to the insect. They thought thatthis particular meaning had probablybeen inspired by the obvious similaritybetween these human gatherings and theindustrious, social nature of a beehive. Butin recent years scholars have rejected this

explanation, suggesting instead that thisbee is a completely different word.

One possibility is that it comes from theMiddle English word bene, which means“a prayer”or “a favor” (and is related to themore familiar word boon). In England, adialect form of this word, been or bean,referred to “voluntary help given byneighbors toward the accomplishmentof a particular task.” (Webster’s Third NewInternational Dictionary).

Bee may simply be a shortened form ofbeen, but no one is entirely certain.

3

OriginofthetermSpellingBee

T he Ventura CountyStar has sponsored theCounty Spelling Beefor more than 50 years.

This year, after careful review ofour spelling bee process— andthe processes of fellow sisterScripps newspapers —The Starhas decided to allow all 136 schoolwinners to advance directly to thefinal county spelling bee.

The Star is pleased to providea final county bee that will beexciting for all school championsand the schools they represent.

Ultimately, one talentedspeller will win an all-expensespaid trip to the 85th annual 2012Scripps National Spelling Bee inWashington, D.C. at the end ofMay through the first week ofJune.

In 1925, nine newspaperscollaborated to start the NationalSpelling Bee. Frank Neuhauser,from Louisville, Kentucky won thisbee by correctly spelling gladiolus.In recent years, the ScrippsNational Spelling Bee has enjoyeda significant surge in popularity.This will be the bee’s 20th livebroadcast and the seventh inprimetime.

The Scripps National SpellingBee is an educational programsponsored by the E.W. ScrippsCompany in conjunction withsponsoring newspapers andorganizations around the world.Its main purpose is to helpstudents improve their spelling,increase their vocabularies, learnconcepts and develop correctEnglish usage that will help themall their lives.

Bill Clark / Special to The StarDylan McEttrick of Ojai competes at last year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee at theGaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md.

Karen Quincy Loberg/The Star

Ultimately, onetalented speller willwin an all-expensespaid trip to the 85thannual 2012 ScrippsNational Spelling Beein Washington, D.C.at the end of Maythrough the firstweek of June.

Ventura MissionarySchool’s CiannaCalia adjusts themicrophone heightwhile competingat last year’s2011 countywidespelling bee.

This year more than 16,000 third- througheighth-grade students participated inclassroom spelling bees in 136 schools fromOjai to Oak Park. Each School Spelling BeeChampion qualified to advance to the finalrounds of the Ventura County Star SpellingBee. The following is a list of the schoolchampions, grade and winning word.

Jiaxin AshRio Del Norte Elem.Oxnard, grade 4imitate

Cianna CaliaCarden School ofCamarillo, Oxnard,grade 7,megalopolis

Samuel CoatsLoma Vista ElementaryVentura, grade 5fashion

Lauren CosgroveUniv. Charter MiddleSchool, Camarillo,grade 7, harassment

Natalie CouseMountain Vista Elem.Fillmore, grade 5sequel

Marco CuevasHoly Cross SchoolVentura, grade 8brochure

Brian CamarenaRio Plaza Elem. SchoolOxnard, grade 4heroic

Grace CareyBalboa Middle SchoolVentura, grade 7miscellaneous

Noelle Ru ChapmanBeacon Hill ClassicalAcademy, Camarillo,grade 6, gloaming

Bella ChastainSt. Paschal BaylonCamarillo, grade 6referendum

Angela ChavezBlanchard ElementarySanta Paula, grade 4ponder

Abigail ChomillerLa Mariposa Elem.Camarillo, grade 4cashew

JadeChongsathapornpongUniv. Prep. School CSUCIgrade 5, insulation

Therese AttaoOceanView Junior HighOxnard, grade 6niagara

Ethan BandelinPoinsettia ElementaryVentura, grade 4disappearance

Hannah BartelsSanta Clara ElementaryFillmore, grade 6malevolent

Alec BesamatBriggs ElementaryVentura, grade 8interpret

Alexis Biggs-McCullarValley Oak CharterVentura, grade 7malaria

Benet BouchardLincoln Elem. SchoolVentura, grade 3delighted

Alex BreschardHollywood Beach Elem.Ventura, grade 6murmur

Miranda AcunaSaticoy ElementaryVentura, grade 4ingredient

Saray AguilarDennis McKinna Elem.Oxnard, grade 4prejudice

Grace AlonsoChrista McAuliffe Elem.Oxnard, grade 6manifestation

Kevin ArominOur Lady Of GuadalupeOxnard, grade 3residue

Jacqueline ArroyoE. P. Foster ElementaryVentura, grade 6dryness

Olivia ArthurCape Charter SchoolCamarillo, grade 5amphibian

Jocelyn BrossiaJunipero Serra Elem.Ventura, grade 5cotton

Alana AdelmanMatilija Junior HighOjai, grade 8genius

Casey ArellanoRio Vista Middle SchoolOxnard, grade 8miscellaneous

School Championshis year more than 16,00ighth-grade students pa

4

5

Dylan FernandezDe LaraRichard Bard Elem.grade 5, intrigue

Camille FriasChaparral MiddleSchool, Moorpark,grade 8,mutton

Jacob GinzburgMeadows Arts & TechElem., Thousand Oaks,grade 5, stratosphere

Ariana GreenidgeCV HomeschoolersThousand Oaks,grade 7,miscellaneous

Troy GuglielmoPleasant ValleyChristian Camarillo,grade 7,miscellaneous

Thomas GallagherOlivelands SchoolOxnard, grade 3murmur

Liliana GalvanRobert J. FrankIntermediate, Oxnard,grade 8, pristine

Alexis GaradoHueneme ElementaryPort Hueneme, grade 6perseverance

Garrett GarcesMcKevett ElementarySanta Paula, grade 5animation

Kate Anne GarciaE. O. Green Jr. HighPort Hueneme, grade 8luxurious

Nevnit GillLos Primeros StructuredSchool, Camarillo,grade 8, exaggerate

Julia FickenscherDe Anza Middle SchoolVentura, grade 6amphibian

Jacob FirmeFred L.Williams Elem.Oxnard, grade 3harassment

Dominick FiscaliniCitrus Glen ElementaryVentura, grade 5cornea

Annice FloresParkview ElementaryOxnard, grade 5talons

Angelica FloresRio Del Mar ElementaryOxnard, grade 4serious

Audrey FranadaCabrillo Middle SchoolVentura, grade 8schooner

Katrin FrantzACHEVVentura, grade 8intercept

Rena DvoretzkyLa Reina High SchoolCamarillo, grade 8thoroughbred

Ethan ElkinsTierra Linda Elem.Camarillo, grade 5weasel

Ixtzel DuranRio Real ElementaryOxnard, grade 5waiver

Connell DemmondMira Monte ElementaryOjai, grade 6sinus

Nickey DiorioPinecrest School, MPKThousand Oaks,grade 5, racial

County Bee PronouncerSheryl MisenhimerPrincipal, McKevett Elementary School

County Bee JudgesJohn T. MooreEditorVentura County Star

Robert EmerickChief Executive OfficerCounty Schools Federal Credit Union

Albert SciamannaExecutive DirectorCustomer Support & Sales OperationsSAGE

John TarkanyCoordinatorStudent Competitions & FundraisingVentura County Office of Education

ManyThanksTo Our CoordinatorsandVolunteersThank you to the 136 school coordinatorswho coached and mentored their schoolchampion. Thank you to theWorkerBees who have dedicated their time toensure that our spellers are welcome andprepared. Above all, thanks to the students,parents and teachers fromVentura Countywho took part in this year’s Spelling Bee.

Ventura County Star StaffGeorge H. Cogswell, IIIPresident and Publisher

MonicaWhiteRegional Director of Marketing,West Coast

Julie LopezCounty Spelling Bee Coordinator

California State UniversityChannel Islands StaffDr. Richard R. RushPresident

Nancy Covarrubias GillDirector of Communication & Marketing

Ventura County Star Spelling Bee

EVENTSaturday, March 3, 20121 p.m., Malibu Hall 100

California State University,Channel Islands

PROGRAMWelcome

Spelling Bee RulesSpelling Bee

Awards Ceremony

SAGE County Schools Federal Credit Union

The ProgramCounty Bee PronouncerSheryl MisenhimerPrincipal, McKevett Elementary Schoo

ronouncer

6

Crown DodgeRAM

Partner Bee Sponsors

Ventura CountyOffice of Education

California State UniversityChannel Islands

Star in Education Foundation

Crown Dodge

Corporate Bee Sponsors

Childrens Dental Group

Listing Bee Sponsor

Ventura County Star

Presenting Sponsor

Corporate Bees 7

Supporting educationis just good businessCounty Schools Federal Credit Union principle

C ounty Schools FederalCredit Union is committedto supporting education.For more than 13 years the

Credit Union has devoted its efforts tosupport youth-orientated programsand initiatives including its financialliteracy programs: Making the RightMoney Moves; geared towards middleschool and high schoolstudents, and Savingwith Mandy and Randy;for elementary students.County SchoolsFederal Credit Union’sdedication to thestudents remains with the support ofvarious youth programs such as VenturaCounty Office of Education AcademicDecathlon, Mock Trial, Science Fair andtoday’s Ventura County Spelling Bee.

The driving force behind the CreditUnion’s philosophy, “supportingeducation is just good business” is thestaff’s commitment and loyalty to theCredit Union’s roots; people helpingpeople. The Credit Union’s Board of

Directors and members daily supportand encouragement is to make adifference in the lives of local children,teens and young adults.

“It is our duty and responsibility tohelp pass the torch of a better future tothe next generation. The youth is thefuture and we must give our studentsall the tools and resources we can to

help them succeed,”said Robert Emerick,Chief Executive Officer,County Schools FederalCredit Union.

As the onlyeducation Credit Union

in Ventura County and non-profitfinancial institution, County SchoolsFederal Credit Union provides financialservices at the lowest possible cost tothe faculty, staff, and students and theirimmediate family members from allpublic and private schools in VenturaCounty.

County Schools Federal Credit Unionis at 4591 Market St., Ventura.Phone: 644-4657, website: CSFCU.org

Scholarship lies at heartof any healthy societySAGE is committed to investing in communityefforts that are a reflection of its core values

S AGE is the world’s leadingindependent academic andprofessional publisher. A globalcompany, SAGE was founded in

1965 by Sara Miller McCune and her husbandGeorge McCune and has grown to employmore than 1,000 peopleworldwide.With offices allover the world includingThousand Oaks, London,New Delhi, SingaporeandWashington DC, SAGE’s dedicationto education and scholarship extends farbeyondVentura County. SAGE publishesmore than 640 academic journals andmorethan 800 books annually in the pursuit ofhelping to spread the reach of knowledge.

SAGE believes passionately thatscholarship lies at the heart of any healthysociety and that education is intrinsically

valuable. As such, SAGE is committed toinvestingmoney into community effortsthat reflect our core values. SAGE’s currentphilanthropic efforts are committed toprograms that further education.

SAGE supports higher education amongits employees, as well.Currently SAGE completelyunderwrites the pursuit ofa first-time college degreefor full-time employees,

provides textbook reimbursements foremployees and their children, and providessome funding for employees pursuingadvanced degrees.

SAGE is happy to have the opportunityto support endeavors such as the VenturaCounty Spelling Bee that further educationand strengthen the community where welive and work.

NewfangledApplet, carjacking, hoodie and netiquette are

neologisms—words that are new to the Englishlanguage. You can find other great neologisms in theaddenda section ofWebster’s Third New InternationalDictionary (copyright 2002, Merriam-Webster). Oddlyenough, the word newfangled is a really old wordin English. It comes from two Middle English words,newe, meaning“new,”and fangel, which itself comesfrom an Old English word, fangen, meaning“taken.”

OOH LA LA!The French word

connoisseur has been themost frequently used word onScripps National Spelling Beeword lists.

P-H-O-O-E-Y!Sesquipedalian, ratatouille

and oligarchy are words thatwere misspelled at the end ofa Scripps National Spelling Bee,making the difference betweenfirst and second place.

Woof,Woof!Some words, called onomatopoeia, originated as an

imitation of natural sounds in fact, some linguists havedeveloped a theory (sometimes known as the “bow-wowtheory”) that this is how all spoken language began. Thereare onomatopoeia in every language.

Shloka HomaOak Hills ElementarySimi Valley, grade 5syringe

Jazmin LariosSomis ElementarySomis, grade 7peruse

EvelynMarquezArt Haycox ElementaryOxnard, grade 5acrobat

AdanMaciasRose Avenue Elem.Oxnard, grade 6schooner

Erik MaganaPiru ElementaryFillmore, grade 5helmet

Emily MamSanta Clara ElementaryOxnard, grade 7antecedent

Gillian LawsonPinecrest School, SVSimi Valley, grade 6tourism

Emily MartinezSunkist ElementaryPort Hueneme, grade 6niagara

KarenMartinsonOjai Valley SchoolOjai, grade 7epithet

Anjel LazaroLas Posas SchoolCamarillo, grade 4animation

Ashley LeCroyOur Lady ofAssumption, Ventura,grade 8, akimbo

Andy LuanCarden Conejo SchoolT.O., Thousand Oaks,grade 6, animation

Ruby Lyn LucinRichard B. HaydockIntermediate, Oxnard,grade 7, fascinating

Angel HuanteGrace S. Thille Elem.Santa Paula, grade 5forlorn

Midori Huapaya-RenbargerGolden Valley CharterOxnard, grade 7chandelier

Brian JeffersLas Colinas MiddleSchool, Camarillo,grade 8, expressionism

Heidi JensenSanta Rosa TechnologyMagnet, Camarillo,grade 5, binoculars

Soleil JonesJuan Soria ElementaryOxnard, grade 7postmortem

Darlene KabigtingAnsgar Larsen Elem.Oxnard, grade 5hypochondria

Skyllar KuppingerBrookside Elem.Oak Park, grade 5vanquish

Chloe HernandezDos Caminos SchoolCamarillo, grade 4tangy

Andrew HernandezSan Cayetano Elem.Fillmore, grade 5batter

Leticia HernandezSummit ElementarySanta Paula, grade 6weasel

Bryant HawksSunset ElementaryOak View, grade 5intrigue

Leticia GutierrezMontalvo ElementaryVentura, grade 5pretzel

StormHaberstich-RamirezBlanche Reynolds Elem.Ventura, grade 5, pesto

School Champions8

Jesus MarmolejoEl Descanso SchoolCamarillo, grade 4jealousy

Torin MeehanJuanamaria ElementaryVentura, grade 5brainstorm

MacyMiller ClearyElmhurst ElementaryVentura, grade 5harpoon

Carolina PerezWill Rogers ElementaryVentura, grade 5talons

Sophia RasuraSan Antonio Elem.Ojai, grade 6laborious

Hannah ReaganLOMSAANewbury Park, grade 8celestial

Jillian RenkenRancho Rosal Elem.Camarillo, grade 5harmonious

Kelsey RetichTrinity Pacific ChristianOak Park, grade 6calculator

Romel RivasEmilie Ritchen Elem.Oxnard, grade 6contagious

Maria RiveraGlen City ElementarySanta Paula, grade 4fasten

Guadalupe RochaMar Vista ElementaryOxnard, grade 5carnival

Rita Rodiles OlivaNorma HarringtonElem., Oxnard, grade 4giggle

Sophia PeridaSt. Rose Of Lima SchoolSimi Valley, grade 6erroneous

Haley PerkinsThe Phoenix RanchSchool, Simi Valley,grade 8, whisperer

Anna RajalaVentura MissionChristian, Ventura,grade 7, rhythmic

Marisol RamirezSt. Sebastian SchoolFillmore, grade 7referendum

Tessa RamirezSt. Mary MagdalenCamarillo, grade 7matrimony

Carla RamosJulien HathawaySchool, Oxnard,grade 5, racial

Kyle RandelOaks Christian SchoolCamarillo, grade 8

BriannaMoralesMupu ElementarySanta Paula, grade 8parody

Zachary MoxleyRedwoodMiddleSchool, Thousand Oaks,grade 7, perquisite

Robert MummeryMesa Union Elem.Oxnard, grade 8epithet

Julissa MunozAnacapa MiddleSchool, Ventura,grade 8, luxurious

Angel MurilloIsbell Middle SchoolSanta Paula, grade 7jambalaya

LukeMyersFillmore Middle SchoolFillmore, grade 7amphibian

Anish NatarajanPinecrest School, T.O.Thousand Oaks,grade 5, schooner

Crystal MendozaCesar Chavez Elem.Oxnard, grade 5freckle

AnthonyMercadoRio Lindo ElementaryOxnard, grade 4strategy

DamianMezaSespe ElementaryFillmore, grade 5audience

JohnathonMezaMarinaWest Elem.Oxnard, grade 6reckon

9

Kaitlin MaxwellSequoia Middle SchoolNewbury Park, grade 8gratis

SiennaMcDonaldThelma Bedell Elem.Santa Paula, grade 4screenplay

LorrynMcKaigGood ShepherdLutheran, Simi Valley,grade 6, bristle

Elizabeth SenesacPierpont ElementaryOxnard, grade 5altogether

Hailey TinajeraNorman R. Brekke Elem.Oxnard, grade 6malice

JonahWashburnChristian AcademicSupport Assoc.Camarillo, grade 6cricket

MicahWilcoxMound ElementaryVentura, grade 5nonchalantly

GabbyWipperSacred Heart Elem.Camarillo, grade 8malice

AdamWollTopa Topa ElementaryOjai, grade 6deluxe

ZoeYooColina Middle SchoolThousand Oaks, grade 8mosaic

Rosalio Ulloa IIIMonte Vista MiddleSchool, Camarillo,grade 8, diphthong

JaceValdezRio Del Valle Jr. HighOxnard, grade 7exonerate

DariannaVasquezBarbaraWebster Elem.Santa Paula, grade 5altogether

Sarah Star VelasquezLemonwood Elem.Oxnard, grade 5syllable

Gabrielle VidanesRio Rosales SchoolOxnard, grade 5syringe

AngelaWangMedea Creek MiddleSchool, North Ranch,grade 8, colossal

JessicaWarshalRed Oak ElementaryOak Park, grade 5desperately

Kenneth SengMary Law Private.Oxnard, grade 6pneumatic

Sophia SilvesterBethany ChristianNewbury Park, grade 5harmonious

Samuel SimonsCamarillo HeightsCamarillo, grade 5reckon

Michael StuartBridges Charter SchoolThousand Oaks,grade 6, doubtful

Ibrahim SyedMadrona ElementaryNewbury Park, grade 5remorseful

Victor TellezSheridanWay Elem.Ventura, grade 5freckle

NoahTerminelloPortola ElementaryVentura, grade 5chorus

Abby RunyanMeiners Oaks Elem.Ojai, grade 5jealousy/microphone

ChristopherSeagravesMesa Verde MiddleSchool, Moorpark,grade 7. barracks

Roselyn RomeroCharles Blackstock Jr.High, Oxnard, grade 6incandescence

School Champions10

MatthewTeagueSomis Academy CharterCamarillo, grade 6mischief

Last Year’s Champ 11

Dylan McEttrick, countywide Ventura County Star Spelling Bee

Last March, Dylan McEttrick, inthe seventh-grade at MatilijaJunior High School in Ojaiat the time, took first in thecountywide Ventura CountyStar Spelling Bee that lasted 19

rounds and took well over two hours.“All the words I got, I knew,” said Dylan,

who won with the word“taciturn.”Dylan, then 13, received an all-

expenses paid trip toWashington, D.C.to compete in the 84th Scripps NationalSpelling Bee. Scripps is the parentcompany of the Ventura County Star.

Dylan had been memorizing spellingbee words since fifth grade, when helearned all 1,150 words provided by hisschool organizer for his first competition.“I’m not naturally gifted at spelling,” saidDylan, so he prepared for the nationalbee by memorizing words from a set ofspelling bee prep books he bought withhis own money.

He had started to wake up at 5 a.m.to study, but at times got so caught upwith spelling that his mother wouldoccasionally ban it, telling him to gooutside.

“I told him, ‘You can’t just be a brain,’“Shannon McEttrick said. “You have to becompassionate. You have to exercise yourbody.”

Dylan’s interest in words is unusualfor someone his age, said ConnieWare,his former English teacher. “He reads, he’sgot a passion for etymology, he speaksbeautifully in front of the class,”Ware said.“There’s a joy of language that’s prettyunique. And not only that, the kid’s got alot of heart.”

The three-day national competitionlast June was tough, starting with awritten test the first day and two oralrounds of spelling the next. The field wascompetitive with 274 spellers, ranging inage from 8 to 15, arriving from all 50 statesand foreign countries. Only the spellerswith the top combined scores would

move into the semifinals.The day had started off well, but

after the written test, Dylan wasn’t tooconfident. He had a nagging feeling thathe had missed too many words.

Earlier, he strolled confidently to themicrophone during the second roundof the competition and easily spelled“invisicate,”which means encased in asticky substance.

“That one was easy,”he said afterward.“I was surprised they used it. It was justphonetic. There was nothing difficultabout it.”

He repeated the feat a few hourslater in round three. But this time, hedidn’t seem as certain. Asked to spell“recriminatory,”he asked for the word’sdefinition (it means a counterattack),language of origin (Latin) and part ofspeech (adjective).

Then, arms folded over his chest, hegave it a shot.

“R-e-c-r-i-m-i-n-a-t-o-r-y,”he said.A nod from the judges told him he was

right, and he walked in triumph back tohis chair on the stage.

Dylan said later that, despite hisnervous stage demeanor, he knew that hecould spell the word.

Unfortunately, Dylan’s hunch about thewritten portion was right. He spelled 19out of 25 words correctly on the writtentest and received three points each for thetwo words he spelled correctly in the oralcompetition. His combined scored was 25.

Only 41 of the 275 spellers made itinto the semifinals all with a minimumcombined score of 29. Dylan was knockedout the competition.

“I’m really disappointed,”Dylan saidwhen learning he had failed to make thelist of semifinalists.

Despite the loss, he remainedpositive as he nodded, looked up withan endearing smile and agreed thatparticipating in the bee was “a goodexperience.”

Karen Quincy Loberg/The StarDylan McEttrick is pleased to take first place by correctly spelling “taciturn” in the19th round of the countywide spelling bee.

Check thisSince the advent of

widespread spell-checkusage in the mid-1980s,participation in theScripps National SpellingBee is up 74 percent.

Musiciansin themaking

A common interestamong spellers is music.Many play instrumentsincluding the violin,guitar, flute andsaxophone, but the mostpopular among spellersis the piano. In 2011, 85spellers were pianists.