StateofVermont
HouseofRepresentatives
Montpelier,Vermont
ConcurrentHouseResolution
H.C.R.101
OfferedbyRepresentativesCampbellofSt.JohnsburyandDolanofEssexJunction
OfferedbySenatorIngalls
HouseconcurrentresolutioncongratulatingPhoenixNewellonwinningtwoconsecutiveVermontState
SpellingBees
Whereas,spellingcorrectlyisbothanartandascience,requiringtheknowledgeoftheEnglishlanguage’s
grammaticalrulesandtheinnumerableexceptionstoeveryspellingconvention, and
Whereas,thechallengeofspellingcomplexwordscorrectlyistestedinindividualschools,states,and
nationallythroughstudents’participationintheScrippsNationalSpellingBee,avenerablescholastictradition,
and2025marksthecompetition’scentennial, and
Whereas,PhoenixNewell,aseventhgraderattheRiversideSchoolinLyndonville,has,fortwoconsecutive
years,exhibitedapassionandaspecialtalentformasteringthenuancesofspellingasophisticatedlexiconof
words, and
Whereas,afterinnumerablehoursofstudyandmemorization,PhoenixNewell,thenasixthgrader,advanced
throughnumerousroundsofschoolcompetitiontoearntheopportunitytorepresenttheRiversideSchoolatthe
2024VermontStateSpellingBee,atwhichsheout-spelledalltheothercontestantsandwasdeclaredthe
champion, and
Whereas,thissingularachievemententitledPhoenixNewelltoadvancetotheScrippsNationalSpellingBee
finalinWashington,DC, and
Whereas,despiteherbesteffort,PhoenixNewellwasnotrecognizedasthe2024nationalspellingchampion,
buttheexcitementandthrillofbeingpartofthisnationwidecontestmotivatedhertotryagainasaseventh
grader, and
Whereas,in2025,PhoenixNewell’sdetermination,patience,andacademicstaminaallcontributedtoher
distinctivesuccessinwinningasecondconsecutiveVermontStateSpellingBee,andsheeagerlyanticipates
returningtoournation’scapitalforhersecondappearanceattheScrippsNationalSpellingBee,thistimeasa
moreexperiencedcontender,nowtherefore be it
ResolvedbytheSenateandHouseofRepresentatives:
ThattheGeneralAssemblycongratulatesPhoenixNewellonwinningtwoconsecutiveVermontState
SpellingBees,andbeitfurther
Resolved:ThattheSecretaryofStatebedirectedtosendacopyofthisresolutiontoPhoenixNewell.