In a room buzzing with proud family members, dozens of students from La Jolla elementary schools took the podium to compete in the third annual Coastwise Spelling Prize.
The event, sponsored by Coastwise Capital Group, invited students from All Hallows Academy, Bird Rock Elementary School, The Children’s School, The Evans School, Gillispie School, La Jolla Country Day, La Jolla Elementary School, Stella Maris Academy and Torrey Pines Elementary School to the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club April 24, encouraging them to do their best and have fun.
“You’re all winners,” said Coastwise chief executive and investment officer Scott Kyle.
The Coastwise Spelling Prize, offered only to La Jolla’s public school students in prior years, is meant to nurture a love of language, vocabulary, communication skills and self-confidence.
The first competition featured 48 second- and third-grade students and challenged them with words like fluctuation, profiteer and zither.
After ten rounds of play, Levi Pancer, in third grade at Bird Rock Elementary, won with the word irrigation.
Third-graders Mila Wills from La Jolla Elementary and Raphael Gelber from Torrey Pines Elementary won second- and third-place, respectively.
The fourth- and fifth-grade students competed in the second competition, with 61 entrants trying their hands at words including amphitheater, gelatinous and voracious.
Most contestants were eliminated in the second round; Julia Schlachetzki, in fifth grade at LJES, won with the word aspirin.
Fifth-graders Alexis Master from LJES and George Anthony from Stella Maris came in second and third, respectively.
The first-place winners received trophies, the second- and third-place winners earned medals; all participants took home a prize bag.
