CAPE STUDENTS TRIUMPH AT DISTRICT SPELLING BEE

SIKESTON -- Tina McCloskey of Cape Girardeau Central Junior High School and Laura Cato of Poplar Bluff Junior High School were co-champions in the district division of the Scripps-Howard annual spelling bee at Sikeston Middle School Saturday.

The 26 school champions competing at Sikeston's bee qualified the district to send its two top spellers to St. Louis to represent Southeast Missouri in regional rounds of the competition April 4.

This is the second year Tina and Laura, both eighth graders, have met at Sikeston and outspelled other champions from the area. The two emerged as winners of the 1991 Sikeston bee when they competed as seventh graders Tina representing L.J. Schultz Middle School and Laura representing Poplar Bluff Junior High.

Along with Tina, the other top finalists Saturday were also from Cape Girardeau.

First runner up was Bryan Schaefer, representing St. Mary's Grade School; second runner up was Tina's sister, Jill McCloskey, a sixth grader representing Franklin Elementary School; and third runner up was Troy Hooper, a seventh grader from Schultz Middle school.

"This was an exceptional year for our Cape students," said Pat Heckert of Schultz. "The 26 spellers this year were overall the most talented group we have seen at district in many years. We are very proud that three of the top five spellers represented Cape public schools. And to have two from the same family is quite an accomplishment."