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By Mike Barnhardt
Enterprise Record

It was the longest spelling bee anyone can remember in Davie County Schools.
For the first time, the word list was depleted, and school officials had to scramble to come up with the next approved list of words.
And Dr. Danny Cartner, bee facilitator and word pronunciator, ran out of lead in his pencil – another first.
What wasn’t a first was the champion – Porter Spann of North Davie Middle School. He also won last year. In 2019, he came in third. He didn’t compete in the county bee in 2020.
And the Spanns aren’t done. Porter’s sister – fifth grader Miriam Spann – represented Pinebrook Elementary in last week’s bee at the Central Davie Education Center. They are the children of Nolan and Jennifer Spann.
Porter, a seventh grader, battled Olivia Rareshide, a sixth grader from William Ellis Middle School for the title, correctly spelling “flexitarian” to win. By the way, a flexitarian is one who mostly sticks to a vegeterian or vegan diet but occasionally includes animal products in their diet.
It took several rounds of spelling to decide the third place winner. Dev Gandhi, a fifth grader from Davie County Virtual School won those rounds, beating out Noah Wogatzke, a fifth grader at Cornatzer Elementary and Sulliven “Sullie” Christensen, a fifth grader at Mocksville Elementary.
Other contestants included: Aubrey Reavis, fourth grade, Cooleemee Elementary; Amerys Brown, fifth grade, Shady Grove Elementary; Ella Wiles, fifth grade, William R. Davie Elementary; and Evan Lyons, seventh grade, South Davie Middle.
Porter will advance to regional competition. He received a $250 gift card from Venezia’s Italian Family Restaurant. Olivia received a $150 gift card from the Davie County Enterprise Record; and Gahndi received a $100 gift card from 158 Auto Sales.