Dalton Ayres, a seventh-grader at Friday Harbor Middle School, won the 2010 Friday Harbor Community Spelling Bee Feb. 2 at the San Juan Community Theater.

The annual contest is sponsored by the Rotary Club of the San Juan Islands and features fourth- through eighth-grade classroom champions from local schools, including Friday Harbor Elementary School, Friday Harbor Middle School, Paideia Classical School, Griffin Bay School and Spring Street International School.

There were a total of 22 competitors.

Dalton received $75, and won $150 for his classroom’s literacy program and $300 for his school’s literacy program.

Finalist Joe Fyrqvist, and eighth-grader at Friday Harbor Middle School, received $50, and won $100 for his classroom and $200 for his school.

Lauren Ayers, Friday Harbor Elementary School, was the top finisher among fourth-graders. Jillian Urbach, Paideia Classical School, was the top finisher among fifth-graders. Will Christison, Friday Harbor Elementary School, was the top finisher among sixth-graders. They each received $25.

A detailed story will be published in the Feb. 10 Journal of the San Juan Islands.

Knowledge Bowl Feb. 4
The week’s Battle of the Brains continues tonight with the 17th annual Knowledge Bowl in the San Juan Community Theatre.

The Friday Harbor Jazz Band will begin performing at 6:40 p.m., and the Friday Harbor Middle School PTA will offer bake sale treats. There will be several raffle items as well, including a trip for two on the Victoria Clipper.

Competition begins at 7 p.m., with teams consisting of eighth-grade students, a ninth- and 10th-grade team, and a 11th- and 12th-grade team going head to head with four local community service groups: Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary and Soroptimists club teams.

The event will be emceed this year by Brent Snow.

The Knowledge Bowl is presented by the San Juan Island Public Schools Foundation. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for children.