MISSION, TEXAS (January 30, 2025) - More than 50 of the district's top spellers gathered for the Annual Mission CISD District Spelling Bee, showcasing their spelling skills at the Veterans Memorial High School Performing Arts Center.
After a highly competitive contest, Nailea Flores, an 8th-grade student from Rafael A. Cantu Jr. High, earned the title as the District Spelling Bee Champion. Her classmate, Jaleen L. Cortez, also from Rafael A. Cantu Jr. High, claimed second place.
Both Flores and Cortez will represent Mission CISD at the upcoming Rio Grande Valley Regional Spelling Bee, scheduled to take place in Edinburg on Saturday, March 8th. The winner of the Regional Spelling Bee will earn the opportunity to compete in the prestigious 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee, which will be held in May.
"This marks an exciting milestone for our students as they continue to excel in their spelling endeavors, proudly representing Mission CISD at the regional level and possibly advancing to the national stage,” said Dr. Cris Valdez, Mission CISD Superintendent of Schools. “Their dedication and hard work are a true reflection of the excellence we strive for in our district.”
District Spelling Bee winners are as follows:
- 1st Place: Nailea Flores, 8th Grade, Rafael A. Cantu Jr. High
- 2nd Place: Jaleen L. Cortez, 7th Grade, Rafael A. Cantu Jr. High
- 3rd Place: Montserrat Ledesma, 7th Grade, Kenneth White Jr. High
A total of 54 students throughout the district were named respective Campus Champions and they are:
- Gionni Villarreal, Adrian Martinez, and Alana Guerrero (alternate) - Escobar/Rios Elementary School
- Ryan Zamora, Esteban Villegas, and Julian Saucedo (alternate) - Raquel Cavazos Elementary School
- Brandon Molina, Kaitlyn Vidaurri, and Anthony Marin (alternate) - Alton Elementary School
- Genesis Cortes, Amberly Huerta, and Naomi Rangel (alternate) - O’Grady Elementary School
- Ricardo Aguilar, Melanie Silva, and Mia Alvarado (alternate) - Cantu Elementary School
- Julexie Del Angel, Johnny Enriquez, and Joshua Rivas San Pedro (alternate) - Salinas Elementary School
- Andrea Balderas, Iker Martinez, and Diego Gonzalez (alternate) - Castro Elementary School
- Yaritza Gonzalez, Adelina Barroso, and Aleena Loraine Pulido (alternate) - Midkiff Elementary School
- Joshua Rodriguez, Rocio Martell, and Brycen Gutierrez (alternate) - Alton Memorial Jr. High School
- Emma Bravo Garza, Aaron Pacheco, and Avery Brown (alternate) - Mims Elementary School
- Kaleb Richardson, Anna Morfin, and Sophia Garcia (alternate) - Mission Jr. High School
- Emmilee Rodriguez, Dilan Rivera, and Taylor Douglas (alternate) - Leal Elementary School
- Javier Gomez, Santos Segovia, and Arturo Leon (alternate) - Pearson Elementary School
- Oscar Olivarez, Madelin Ortega, and Judah Treviño (alternate) - Bryan Elementary School
- Samara Arevalo, Keziah Quintana, and Karen Davila (alternate) - Marcell Elementary School
- Damian Zamora, Ricardo Flores, and Audrey Garcia (alternate) - Waitz Elementary School
- Nailea Flores, Jaleen L. Cortez, and Miranda Salinas (alternate) - Rafael Cantu Jr. High School
- Montserrat Ledesma, Leire Smith, and Lina Villarreal (alternate) - Kenneth White Jr. High School
Mission CISD extends its congratulations to all the students who participated and showcased outstanding dedication to their academic achievements.
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