CONCORD — Cannon School eighth-grader Osahon Tokunboh, of Huntersville, prepared for this competition for months. And after a grueling 95-minute battle, he was named champion of the Cabarrus County Independent Schools District Spelling Bee.
After mastering words like “lingua franca,” “zinnia,” “hoi polloi” and “pangolin,” Tokunboh will represent the district in The Charlotte Observer’s 60th Annual Regional Spelling Bee on Feb. 24.
“Osahon is an outstanding student and a great representative for Cannon School,” said Catherine Jones, Cannon School’s middle school English department chair. “I was so impressed with his poise, articulation, and calm demeanor in both the district and school bees. He truly goes beyond any activity he embarks upon.”
Cannon sixth-graders David Sun, of Harrisburg, and Sesha Komanduri, of Davidson, also placed in the competition, earning fourth and sixth place, respectively.
Cannon School is a private independent junior kindergarten through 12th grade college-preparatory institution. It attracts more than 900 students from Concord, Davidson, Cornelius, Huntersville, Mooresville, Charlotte, the University City area, Kannapolis and Salisbury. Cannon School seeks to prepare students for a world that promises to be unpredictable. In classroom learning, character building activities, and extracurricular involvement, teachers, advisors and coaches work to instill in students Habits of Mind that are reflective, meta-cognitive, self-governing and strategic along with Habits of Spirit that encourage flexibility, curiosity, creativity and risk-taking.