Three students from Birdwell Dual Language Immersion School earned first, second, and third place at the Regional Spanish Spelling Bee at the Region 7 ESC in Kilgore, outperforming competitors from Chapel Hill, Jacksonville, Center, and Henderson ISDs.
The top finishers were Tania Maldonado, Mauro Ortega, and Maite Betancourt, who displayed exceptional Spanish language skills during the highly competitive regional event by placing first, second, and third, respectively. Their success builds on an earlier victory at the district-level Spanish Spelling Bee in December, where the trio earned the opportunity to advance to regional competition.
With their regional victory, all three Birdwell students have now qualified to compete at the State Spanish Spelling Bee, which will be held June 4 in El Paso, Texas.
“This achievement reflects the students’ dedication, academic excellence, and the strength of Birdwell’s dual language program,” said Principal Mina Naranjo. “We are incredibly proud of their hard work and look forward to cheering them on at the state level.”
Birdwell Dual Language Immersion School continues to empower students with bilingual proficiency and academic confidence, preparing them for success both in and beyond the classroom, and will expand those opportunities next school year by offering an AP Spanish course for 8th-grade students, becoming the first middle school in Tyler ISD to offer a college-level Spanish course.
“Opportunities like the Spanish Spelling Bee highlight the innovative path Tyler ISD continues to pursue,” said Dr. Bobby Markle, Chief Innovation Officer. “As we look ahead, providing meaningful academic experiences like this aligns with our Next Is Now vision.”
Student participation in this competition was made possible thanks to the continued support of El Show de Meño, whose partnership and Formando el Futuro initiative helped reinforce the vital role community collaboration plays in student success.
For more information, contact Jennifer Hines at Jennifer.Hines@tylerisd.org