Inspire Charter school student wins countywide spelling bee

SAN DIEGO - An Inspire Charter School student won the 50th annual countywide spelling bee hosted on Thursday, March 14 by the San Diego County Office of Education and the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Elliott Husseman, 14, took the top spot for correctly spelling "voiturette,'' a miniature automobile manufactured at the turn of the 20th century. He will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee later this year.

"This would not have been possible for me without the great support of my family,'' the eighth-grader said.

Runner-up Paul Macapinlac, 11, of Marshall Middle School gave Elliott a window to win the bee by missing the word "Mapuche,'' a group of indigenous peoples in parts of Chile and Argentina. The sixth-grader will serve as the older boy's alternate should he not be able to attend the national spelling bee.

The spelling bee was open to local sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at public and private schools around the county. A total of 104 students were registered to compete in this year's bee at the Town and Country San Diego in Mission Valley.