UAEACC hosts St. Francis County Spelling Bee

UA-EACC in partnership with Woodruff Electric Cooperative hosted the 2025 St. Francis County Spelling Bee on Friday, January 31 in the Fine Arts Center.  Nick Hess, UAEACC Director of Community Education served as the event coordinator. UAEACC Librarian, Amanda Minor, served as the pronouncer/facilitator and judges for this year's event were Jerry Stegall, Director of Recruitment, Lindsay Midkiff, Associate Vice President for Public Relations and Community Programs, and Anna Howton, Director of Marketing and Communications with Woodruff Electric Cooperative.

The 2025 St. Francis County Spelling Bee winner was Anna Bulkina, 6th grade student from Palestine-Wheatley School District, who correctly spelled the word steeped to capture the title. The first runner-up was Jude Davis, 5th grade student from Palestine-Wheatley School District. 

St. Francis County schools with students in 4th through 8th grades were invited to participate in the competition to determine the top speller from the area. This year, there were 10 students from Palestine Wheatley School District vying for the title. The winner is slated to compete at the Arkansas State Spelling Bee sponsored by the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, which will be held at the Vines Center in Little Rock on Saturday, March 8. The final competition will be held at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.  The event was sponsored by the Community Education Department at UA-EACC and Woodruff Electric Cooperative.   

Photo from left: St. Francis County Spelling Bee winner Anna Bulkina and first runner-up Jude Davis, students from Palestine-Wheatley School District

UAEACC hosts Cross County Spelling Bee

UA-EACC in partnership with Woodruff Electric Cooperative hosted the 2025 Cross County Spelling Bee on Tuesday, February 4 in the Technology Center for the Delta Exhibit Hall. Nick Hess, UAEACC Director of Community Education served as the event coordinator. UAEACC Librarian, Amanda Minor, served as the pronouncer/facilitator and judges for this year's event were Falisha Williams, UAEACC Wynne Center Coordinator, Dr. Marilyn Hunt, Dean of Transfer Education, and Anna Howton, Director of Marketing and Communications with Woodruff Electric Cooperative.

The 2025 Cross County Spelling Bee champion was fifth grader Johann Bausch from Wynne Intermediate School, who correctly spelled the word cathedral to capture the title.  The first runner-up was Tristian Wright, sixth grade student from Wynne Junior High School. 

Students in the 1st through 8th grades from various county schools including Cross County Elementary, Wynne Primary School, Wynne Intermediate School, and Wynne Junior High School participated in the competition to determine the top speller from the area. There were 28 students vying for the title. The winner is slated to compete at the Arkansas State Spelling Bee sponsored by the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, which will be held at the Vines Center in Little Rock on Saturday, March 8. The final competition will be held at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.  The event was sponsored by the Community Education Department at EACC and Woodruff Electric Cooperative.   

Photo from left: Cross County Spelling Been Champion Johann Bausch and first runner-up Tristian Wright.