Tuckahoe MS student repeats as Henrico Schools' spelling champ

, and Citizen Staff Reports

January 17, 2025 . 5:38 PM

1 min read

Eighth-grader Rohith “Ro” Thomas of Tuckahoe Middle School smiles after clinching a repeat victory as champion of the HCPS Divisionwide Spelling Bee Jan. 16, 2024. (Courtesy Henrico Schools)

Tuckahoe Middle School eighth-grade student Rohith “Ro” Thomas repeated as champion of Henrico County Public Schools’ Divisionwide Spelling Bee Jan. 16 at J.R. Tucker High School, spelling the word "ubiquity” to win the title in the eighth round.

Tessa Winsor, an eighth-grader at Quioccasin Middle School, was runner-up. The annual competition includes spelling champions from each of HCPS’ elementary and middle schools.

Quioccasin Middle School eighth-grader Tessa Winsor was the runner-up int he Henrico Schools' Divisionwide Spelling Bee Jan. 16, 2024. (Courtesy Henrico Schools)

Among the words Ro spelled correctly to win the title were “penitentiary,” “cloture” and “annuity.”

After the bee, Thomas was presented with the HCPS spelling trophy by division representatives, including Brookland District school board member Kristi Kinsella. The trophy, topped with a whimsical bee, will be on display at Tuckahoe until at least next January, when a new champion is crowned.

Thomas next will represent Henrico County Public Schools in the Richmond Raceway Regional Spelling Bee, whose winner will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which is held the week of Memorial Day and televised by ESPN.