4-09-2023 11:28pm

Julissa Negron is on her way to Scripps Spelling Bee in Washington DC

Julissa Negron, 8th grader from Roscoe Middle School, was named the 2023 Regional Spelling Bee Champion on Mar. 8, 2023.

For the third time in five years, a Roscoe student will be competing in the National Spelling Bee.

Julissa Negron is a confident, intelligent and talented eight grade student at Roscoe Middle School. She is involved in dancing, participates in musical theater, plays in the RMS Jazz Band, belongs to the National Junior Honor Society, serves on the RMS Student Council, and runs track at RMS. This summer she is planning to take horseback riding lessons.

When asked how she manages to do so much, she said “I plan a lot.”

But there is more: Julissa recently added another feather to her cap. On March 8, 2023, she was among 28 super spellers from the area, competing in the Boone and Winnebago County Regional Spelling Bee at Harlem High School.

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The spelling champ spelled “saltatory” and “platoon” successfully, and took away first place which qualified her to compete in the National Spelling Bee in Washington DC.

“I was pretty nervous, but I was confident. My focus was to have fun,” she said.

Julissa was coached this year by Avani Joshi, also from Roscoe Middle School, who won the Regional Spelling Bee in 2019 and 2021 and went on to nationals both times. Avani tied for 7th place at the 2021 National Spelling Bee. She is now a sophomore at Hononegah.

Bee Week is scheduled for May 31-June 2, 2023. Julissa will compete against 233 contestants at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.

Julissa’s parents, Julio and Marcia Negron, are very proud of their daughter and her achievements. “She works hard and likes to try new things,” her mother said. The family lives in Roscoe, IL.

This year something special will be offered to contestants with musical abilities. They are invited to be a part of an ESPN video broadcast.

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