By JOYANNA LOVE/Senior Staff Writer

CLANTON —Lynn Stamps spelled her way to victory in Clanton Middle School’s annual spelling bee.

Lynn, a sixth grader, was the youngest participant in the final round.

“It felt good,” Lynn said. “I liked it.”

The word “settee” gave her some trouble with pronouncing it, she said.

In preparation for the bee, Lynn wrote each of the words from the study list several times.

Lynn had been the runner up at her school last year.

“This year I just really wanted to come in first and see what I can do,” Lynn said.

She is already preparing for the countywide spelling bee, which will be held on Feb. 21.

“I am studying really hard,” Lynn said.

She spends time each night writing the words, working toward the more difficult ones on the list.

Caleb Clements, an eighth-grade student, was the runner up.

“I was very excited,” Caleb said. “I’ve just always been good at spelling.”

Caleb said his mom encouraged him to try out this year.

School counselor Malia Robinson organizes the bee and said it is open to all of the students who want to participate.

The first round is a written spelling test. Those with a qualifying score continue to the final round. The finals are a traditional oral spelling bee to determine the school’s winner.