Spelling success

By JUSTIN PITTMAN
Reporter/Photographer

Giddeon Williams doesn’t stress academic competitions. He doesn’t get anxious. He does, however, win.

“I don’t get nervous,” Williams explained in a cucumber cool that would make a Zen seeking Taoist cringe with envy. “My mom gets way nervous though.”

For the second year in a row, Williams has taken top honors in both the Converse County Spelling Bee and Casper College’s regional “state math” competition. The Glenrock Intermediate Middle School eighth-grader will now advance to the state level spelling bee held March 13 in Laramie and his score at “state math” will be considered for the top 10 state-wide math rankings to be released later this year.

“It was pretty nerve racking for me, because it was my kid up there,” Giddeon’s mother, Christie Williams, admitted, referencing last year’s state spelling bee in Laramie. “It’s a pretty tough competition at the state spelling bee.”

Even Giddeon remembers feeling the heat a little at the state level.

“You get up there, and there’s the lights shinning in your face, and they give you a word you’ve never seen before,” Giddeon described the challenge as “scary.”

Despite the pressure, Giddeon – along with only 25 of the original 41 contestants – made it to the final round of the state level spelling competition.

Still, Giddeon said he feels even more comfortable in the math competition.

“Math is simpler. The rules don’t double cross themselves,” Giddeon explained.

Still, the test seems far from simple.

“It’s intense,” GHS math teacher Bob Duncan said. “The questions this year were harder than last year. They were the kind of questions where you can use your calculator and everything, but they require mathematical thought. There’s a lot of emphasis on being able to use math rather than just apply formulas.”

Giddeon said he had studied very little for the math test, though his parents pushed him to practice for the spelling.

“I’m not really one for that sort of stuff,” Williams said. “I just go and, whatever pops up, I just deal with it as best as I can.”

In fact, Williams doesn’t even describe himself as a spelling enthusiast.

“I’m not really a speller. I’m just a reader who learned how to spell,” Giddeon said.

Giddeon describes himself as a fan of fantasy authors like J.K. Rawling, Ian Colfer and Brian Jaques.

“He’s a veracious reader,” GIMS language arts teacher Peg Katen said after Giddeon won the Converse County Spelling Bee last year. “He’s strong in all areas, so I think he must have just an innate curiosity that drives him.”

Katen also pointed to a strong “family background” that “values education” as an influence on Giddeon’s success.

“My thoughts, and I hope that Giddeon agrees with me, is that it’s real a blessing to have a keen mind like Giddeon has and it’s really a privilege. I’m really proud of him for doing his best,” Christie said. “Our main goal – at least my goal – is to represent our family, our school and our community and we feel that if we do that well we will be pleased.”

Casper Math Contest

9-10 Grade Class B

Kyle Buhrmann, 2nd, 550
Shayla Wickett, 10th, 405

8th Grade

Gideon Williams, 1st, 580
Devon Parkinson, 4th, 475
Steven Ritter, 8th, 380
David Parkinson, 10th, 350

7th Grade

Micah Zagrabelny, 2nd, 350
Ben Bautista, 4th, 325
Cassandra Wickett, 5, 300

This is part of the March 4, 2010 online edition of The Glenrock Independent.

Have an opinion on this matter? We'd like to hear from you. Click here.