Blacksburg Middle School seventh grader Rex Harrison was the district’s spelling bee winner Thursday at Luther Vaughan Elementary. He is shown with runner-up Hannah Moore of Grassy Pond Elementary. Both students will participate in the March 12 regional spelling bee in Spartanburg.

But the question is: Can you spell narcissus?

By SCOTT POWELL

Ledger Staff Writer

Blacksburg Middle School seventh grader Rex Harrison paused in disbelief Thursday morning after hearing he was being asked to spell “narcissus” in the district’s spelling bee.

Characterized by a cup- or trumpet-shaped crown, the flower family word was one of the few that gave Harrison problems in winning the spelling bee at Luther Vaughan Elementary. After adding too many “s” letters to the end of “narcissus”, Harrison won the contest by successfully spelling the words “azure” and “champagne.”

Harrison and the district’s runner-up, Grassy Pond Elementary fifth grader Hannah Moore, will represent Cherokee County in the regional spelling bee March 12 from 8:30 a.m. until noon in the USC Upstate Performing Arts Center in Spartanburg.

“I was really nervous. I was shaking in my shoes,” said Harrison, while enjoying fruit punch and cookies after the competition. “I was overjoyed when I found out I won.”

Harrison, the son of Michael Harrison, was one of 15 elementary and middle school students who competed in the spelling bee. The school board provided each school winner with a trophy and dictionary.

School winners took turns spelling words given by pronouncer Joanne Gibson from a word book provided by National Spelling Bee sponsor Scripps-Howard. District administrators Connie Prozny, Elizabeth Brittain, Mike Melton, Mary Jones and Elizabeth Ivey served as judges.

The 2005 School Winners include Jaylen Miller, Alma Elementary; Taylor Sisk, B.D. Lee Elementary; Haylee Melton, Blacksburg Elementary; Kiersten James, Corinth Elementary; Miranda Scruggs, Draytonville Elementary; Amanda Henry, Goucher Elementary; Collin Johnson, Limestone-Central Elementary; Brice Bolin, Luther Vaughan Elementary; Calvin Smith, Mary Bramlett Elementary; Halee Rogers, Northwest Elementary; Mari Hashimoto, Ewing Middle; Caroline Howell, Gaffney Middle; and Taylor Lane, Granard Middle.