8th Grader To Represent Matteson In South Cook Area Spelling Bee

MATTESON, IL — An 8th grader at O.W. Huth Middle School in Matteson won first place in School District 162's annual Spelling Bee for the third year in a row, according to a news release. Destiny Johnson, 13, will represent the district in the South Cook Area Spelling Bee on Tuesday, March 9.

Johnson won first place after she spelled the work “equinox,” correctly, according to the release. Three students tied for second place — Elizabeth Hoskins, a 6th grade student from Indiana School in Park Forest, Michiah Buckner, a 7th grader from Illinois School in Park Forest and Tahiru Mohammed, a 7th grader from Huth Middle School, according to the release.

This year’s competition was the first in-person event held by the school district in more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the district said. Matteson School District 162 started the year with remote learning. In January, the district moved to a hybrid model, according to the release.

“It’s so wonderful that our first in-person event is our spelling bee,” said Dr. Blondean Y. Davis, Matteson District 162 Superintendent. “Our students bring energy and enthusiasm to the competition and work hard with their coaches to prepare for the bee and showcase their skills in spelling and vocabulary.”

Twenty-four of the top spellers from six district schools — grades 3 through 8 — competed in the spelling bee.

The district said that traditionally there are 36 spellers, but because of safety precautions the number was reduced to 24, with six alternates from each school. Spellers were masked and socially distanced and two guests were permitted for each speller, the release states.

Johnson has been participating in the spelling bee since grade 3. According to the release, in 4th grade, she participated but was eliminated in the early rounds. She made it to the final 12 in 5th grade, and since 2019, when Destiny was in 6th grade, she has won the district spelling bee every year.

Destiny will now represent Matteson District 162 in the next round of competition on March 9 at the South Cook Area Bee which will be held in Southland’s field house. In 6th grade, Destiny tied for 2nd place in the South Cook bee and competed in the regional competition. She was just eight spots away from going to the Scripps National Spelling Bee Finals in Washington, D.C., said her mother, Daphne Kennedy-Johnson, according to the release.

This year, Destiny hopes to go all the way to Washington, D.C.

“My goal is to get to the national spelling bee,” Destiny said. “My goal there is to win.”