Tuba City District holds 2nd annual Navajo Spelling Bee

TUBA CITY — The Navajo Language and Culture Enrichment Program at Tuba City Unified School District #15 sponsored the second annual Navajo Spelling Bee on May 3-4 in the TCUSD Governing Board room.

K-12 students participated in the event by competing with one another within their grade level. TCUSD Navajo Language Instructors organized the event and acted as the moderators. To help clarify the meaning of the words for the students, moderators used the Navajo words in complete sentences.

The spelling bee words were selected from everyday usage, reading and topics of interest to the participating students. To make the competition even more challenging, the participants had to write the selected words out with all diacritical marks, which actually helped them pronounce and spell the words.

Spelling bee winners included students from Tuba City Primary, Tuba City Junior High, Gap Primary School, Eagle’s Nest Intermediate School and Tuba City High School.

Each grade level had its own list of 30 to 100 words, which were selected based on the Navajo language learning level. Kindergarten students spelled Navajo words such as abid, akal, ch’osh, gah, magi, sin, sis, tsé and wolyé. Examples of the words that middle school students had to spell are aadoo, bighan, dloo, haadzii, hashk’aan, ligai, e’e’aah, haniigaii and lashdoon.

Advanced Navajo words were saved for the high school students. Examples of their words included: alk’idaa’, asdzani, baahajooba’i, dibaa’, hagoonee’, hait’éhigii, hwaah, jaatlool, joolyé, naaltsoos, shahool’aah, tsxiilgo and yago dootl‘izh.

Tuba City Junior High School Navajo Language Spelling Bee winners include: Elmetina Manygoats, Stacy Claw, Tiffany J. Kristen Neztsosie, Yvette Shorty, Emilio Farrell, Stevielynn Begay, Jacqueline Bigman and Thomas Nez.

Winners from the High School Navajo Language I class include: Lynette Johnson, Chris Dale, Berta Goh, Seth Little, Shanda Atene, Aaron Chee, Dawn Riggs, Daric Goldtooth, Tyler Nez, Niko Begaye, Paula Nez, Daniella Robbins, Garrett Yazzie and Tasha Cantsee.

Winners from the Navajo Language II class included Cassandro Sampson, Natasha Dickson, Kaylyn Jackson and Shelton Curtis.

Each winner received a southwestern styled plaque and a certificate of appreciation for their outstanding efforts.

For more information about the Navajo Language and Culture Enrichment Program at TCUSD, call 928-283-1034 and ask for Susie Store, Navajo Language coordinator, or Elsie Carr, Curriculum Development coordinator. Or call the District office at 928-283-1000.

(Elsie Carr, TCUSD Curriculum Development coordinator, contributed to this story)

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