Berry Elementary and Middle School student Sophia Wilson won the 2012 Independent School Spelling Bee for Elementary students, grades 3, 4, and 5, conducted recently and hosted by Excel Christian Academy and Principal Wesley Roach and his staff.

Forty-five spellers from third, fourth and fifth grade, representing Berry, Excel, Darlington, and Unity Christian School, competed. Sophia, a fifth-grader from Berry, was the champion speller.

Another Berry student, fourth-grader Nora Bailey, won second place. Andy Brunt, a Darlington fifth-grader, won third place.

The three top finishers spelled more than twenty words a piece. Some of the final words included, “isthmus, acquaintance, and miscellaneous.” Sophia had to spell the final word, “irresponsible,” for the championship.

Sophia said she practiced her spelling in the car when her family was driving to and from school.

Sophia’s sister, Olivia, a sixth-grader at Berry, called out words and Sophia would spell them. Sophia also reads a lot because she loves reading, and she said that has helped her to become a good speller.