Stepping into the winner’s circle is not a new experience for home-schooled Aliyah Alpert. The fifth-grader confidently spelled the word “trapezoid” before stepping forward as winner of the 75th annual Yavapai County Spelling Bee on Feb. 13.
It was the third consecutive time she has done so, winning in 2019 and 2020.
In 2019, she was the youngest state contestant in Arizona history, and she placed fifth in the state competition. In 2020 the state spelling bee was canceled because of COVID-19.
On March 21, Alpert represented Yavapai County as one of 27 students from across Arizona when she competed in the Arizona State Spelling Bee. Alpert won 4th place at the state competition.
Alpert received a $300 cash prize and a plaque certifying her as the county champion.
Alpert, who wore a vivid yellow dress decorated with bee images, said: “I’m excited to see how I do at the state bee, and I’d love to get to the national spelling bee. Making the top 50 is one of my biggest goal.”
The second-place winner was Jordan Puster from BASIS School, Prescott. Third place recipient was James St. Laurent of Prescott Area Homeschoolers and fourth place was Logan Dartt from Bradshaw Middle School.
Thirteen students from across the county competed at the bee.
Sponsors for the county spelling included: the Prescott Sunrise Lions Club and the Yavapai County Education Service Agency (YCESA). Jenn Nelson from YSCSA served as the bee coordinator, while Tara O’Neill, a professor from Yavapai College was the pronouncer. Judges were County residents Kellie Burns, Ray Newton and Karen Otis.
Aliyah Alpert Wins 3rd County Spelling Bee
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Prescott Living Magazine
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LOCAL NEWS: The Northern Arizona VA in Prescott has provided an update on their Homeless Veteran Program. ![]()
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PRESCOTT, Ariz. – The Northern Arizona VA Health Care System’s Homeless Veteran Program, along with its community partners, housed 445 Veterans in 2022, exceeding their target goal by 157%.![]()
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Nationally, the 2022 goal was to house 38,000 homeless Veterans— a goal that was exceeded by 6.3%. The Department of Veterans Affairs remains committed to ending Veteran homelessness and increasing housing placements is critical to achieving this goal.![]()
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“This success is a result of efforts built on the evidence-based ‘Housing First’ approach, which prioritizes getting a Veteran into housing, then provides the Veteran with the support they need to stay housed,” said Steve Sample, Medical Center Director.![]()
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In Northern Arizona, there are a variety of services designed to house homeless Veterans. The VA’s Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program includes VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers that provide formerly homeless Veterans with subsidized housing and a wraparound, interdisciplinary case management team to address issues that may have contributed to homelessness. The program provides justice outreach services, employment services, health care services through the Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team, outreach, and transitional housing support. The VA also works closely with community partners to house homeless Veterans through a system called Coordinated Entry, where community agencies along with the VA regularly meet to coordinate efforts and ensure homeless Veterans do not fall through the cracks.![]()
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“We are fortunate that there is so much support for helping homeless Veterans in our area,” said Jessica Taylor, Homeless Program Coordinator for the Northern Arizona VA. “This success could not have been possible without great collaboration between our community partners, Housing Authorities, Tribal partnerships, and support from our local communities.”![]()
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Looking ahead, the VA will continue to explore new avenues to house homeless Veterans and overcome housing barriers. In collaboration with U.S VETS, Gorman & Company, and the Arizona Department of Housing, a supportive housing project on the grounds of the VA’s Fort Whipple campus is in the initial planning stages. The VA is also expanding outreach to ensure that homeless Veterans are aware of services available to them. ![]()
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For Veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness— or if you know of homeless Veterans in need of assistance, call 877-424-3838.![]()
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For more information on renting to or hiring homeless Veterans, visit: www.va.gov/homeless![]()
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About the Northern Arizona VA: Through its main campus in Prescott, along with Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in Cottonwood, Flagstaff, Kingman, Lake Havasu City, and Anthem— with additional clinics in Tuba City, Page, Kayenta, Chinle, Holbrook, and Polacca, the Northern Arizona VA provides services to approximately 33,000 Veterans over a catchment area of more than 65,000 square miles.![]()
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www.facebook.com/VAPrescott
Empty Bowls of Prescott Arizona has announced that it will distribute $24,000 to local foodbanks! Their 2022 Empty Bowls fundraising event took place in September, and donations can be made year round on their website.![]()
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