Allison Flynn • allison@rutherfordweekly.com
Thursday, December 18, 2014 8:38 am

After five rounds, Matthew Neira, a fifth grade student at Spindale Elementary, was named the 2014-15 District Spelling Bee Champion for Rutherford County Schools by correctly spelling pentathlon. Coming in in second and third places were Heath Waldrop, an eighth grader at Chase Middle School, and Emma Walters, a fourth grader at Pinnacle Elementary. Forty-one students in third through eighth grades competed in this year’s bee. Neira will next compete at The Charlotte Observer Regional Spelling Bee in Charlotte on Feb. 23, 2015.