Butterfield Elementary School's fifth-grader Rachel Milner went into the Riverside County Spelling Bee representing Moreno Valley School District (MVUSD) proudly. After she won the District Spelling Bee on Thursday, Jan. 22, by correctly spelling the word "Goatee", she went on to the Riverside County Spelling Bee on Wednesday, March 4. It was a close run as she was finally eliminated deep into the contest, in round three. MaryBeth Rhoades, Principal Designee of Butterfield Elementary School, shared, "Rachel is a professional. She's calm, she can speak well. It's evident that she studied; she's very well-prepared." In preparation for the County Spelling Bee, Milner was given a 4-5 page packet of words to study. "When I asked her if she was ready, she replied 'Yes, I've been studying all of these words'... it's a lot of work," Rhoades added. Mrs. Verstappe, Milner's fifth-grade teacher, is also instrumental in her preparation, according to Rhoades. "It takes good, professional speaking skills to get up and do what she did," Rhoades said. The Spelling Bee competitions don't only help students learn but increases their vocabulary, improves their English usages, and helps them learn different concepts.

Butterfields Rachel Milner Represents MVUSD in County Spelling Bee