Sarah Auffret

Sue Niesz and Virginia Metz of Sun Lakes recently helped award district spelling bee prizes to children from Tempe and Gilbert School Districts. Niesz, coordinator of the awards, and Metz are members of the Assistance League of East Valley, which sponsored two district spelling bees along with the Arizona Education Association. All of the finalists received ribbons, trophies, and bookstore gift cards from the organization.

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Winner of the Gilbert bee, held on January 20, was Ruby Gao, an eighth-grader at South Valley Jr. High School in Gilbert, who correctly spelled the word, “trattoria;” 34 children participated in that competition.

Dylan Burns, a sixth-grader from Connolly Elementary School, won first place in the Tempe bee on January 28 by correctly spelling “tomatillo;” 20 students competed in the bee.

Assistance League of East Valley is an all-volunteer group that provided school clothing and uniforms to more than 6680 children in East Valley school districts last year. They have a thrift shop at 1960 S. Arizona Ave. in Chandler, on the southeast corner of Warner and Arizona Avenues. The league welcomes new members as well as donations of all kinds. For more information visit the website at www.assistanceleagueeastvalley.org.