Eureka Student Wins 41st Paulette Gilliam Humboldt County Spelling Bee

Jon W. Ford spelled his way to a county championship and a ticket to Maryland, clinching the 41st Paulette Gilliam Humboldt County Spelling Bee at the Sequoia Conference Center in Eureka on March 5 with the winning word "effraction," meaning the act of making forcible entry.

The Pacific Union School eighth grader outlasted eleven other regional champions across five rounds to claim the title, which comes with a travel scholarship from Coast Central Credit Union for Ford and his parents to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in National Harbor, Maryland in May.

Cayana Kohndrow, an eighth grader from Cuddeback School, finished second. Michael Glines, a fifth grader from Ferndale Elementary School, took third.

Humboldt County Superintendent of Schools Michael Davies-Hughes addressed the crowd before competition began. "Watching these students spell words most adults wouldn't even attempt was both impressive and a little humbling," he said. "Our community is proud of the achievements of every student who had the courage to participate in this Bee."

Pacific Union Elementary School principal Mathew Bigham was effusive after Ford's win. "Jon's hard work and commitment have earned him a well-deserved spot at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Maryland," Bigham said. "Jon is a shining example of what our students can achieve, and we couldn't be more excited to watch him compete for the top prize — $40,000 — representing both his school and his county."

The event is organized by the Humboldt County Office of Education in partnership with Scripps, and follows Scripps oral competition guidelines. Coast Central Credit Union serves as a co-sponsor.

The bee carries the name of Paulette Gilliam, a former HCOE School Support Department Secretary who worked for the office from 1989 to 2017. Known around the office as the "Queen Bee," Gilliam was the organizing force behind the county competition for years and was known to personally drive students to the state competition when their families couldn't make the trip. HCOE renamed the bee in her honor during its 40th year. "It is both fitting and a great honor to name the County Spelling Bee after one of HCOE's most dedicated and student-focused employees," Davies-Hughes said at the time of the renaming.

Ford will now carry that legacy to the national stage.