A faceoff between the top 20 Sachem spellers took place during the annual fifth-grade districtwide spelling bee on Feb. 6 at Grundy Avenue Elementary School.

For more than 20 years the Sachem Central School District has showcased the top two spellers from each building at the districtwide event. As champions on the building level representing their respective elementary schools, the 20 word wizards met for a chance to be named the top speller. This year’s bee was judged by a trio of Sachem administrators, Nokomis Elementary Principal Denise Kleinman, Wenonah Elementary Principal Christine Dipaola and Waverly Elementary Principal Thomas Desmond, with Grundy Avenue Elementary School Principal Laura Amato serving as the official pronouncer. 

At the conclusion of the intense competition, Krish Rajan from Grundy Avenue Elementary School was named the winner after successfully spelling “preamble.”