A New Mexico school district has won the National Spanish Spelling Bee six times since the event began in 2011.
Three of its students have won twice—each in back-to-back years.
It’s “beyond reason,” according to the district’s bilingual specialist, José Reyes, who helped organize the first national bee over a decade ago, and continues to work with students in the Gadsden School District.
The Gadsden district, headquartered in Santa Teresa, N.M., is a Title I district along the U.S.-Mexico border.
This year, the district sent a single student, eighth grader Michelle Dawson, to the national bee in Albuquerque, N.M. Reyes was there to provide support, including a last-minute study session the night before the competition.
