CARDINGTON — Two sixth-grade students from Highland Middle School competed in 12 rounds of competition to be named winner and runner-up of the Morrow County Spelling Bee on Jan. 25.
Spelling Bee Champion Jayci Black said, “It took a lot of practice. We didn’t have some of those words on our spelling list and I had never heard of them before.”
The last two words to win Jayci the 12th round were prognosticate and monochrome.
Runner-up Caitlyn Thieret said she also believes it was the practice they did in the classroom that helped them in the competition.
Twenty one spellers competed in the Bee held at Cardington-Lincoln Intermediate/Jr. High School. The top 12 spellers qualify to go on to the Tri-County Spelling Bee with winners from Crawford and Richland counties.
Cardington students are; Megan Moller, Ciara Giamarco, Maleigha Holtrey, Piper Stepp and Ashlyn Troyer. Highland students who qualified are: Terra Dean, Malin Fichtner, Jake Law, Nathaniel Rutan, Jayci Black, Camryn Miller and Caitlyn Thieret.
Pronouncer for the event was Beth Gress, fourth-grade teacher at Highland Local Schools. Judges were Jennifer Zierden, Principal at Cardington-Lincoln Local Schools and Carole Neighbor, Gifted Coordinator and Educational Consultant for Mid-Ohio ESC. The Spelling Bee Coordinator is Jenny Pennell, gifted coordinator at Mid-Ohio ESC.
Every speller received a certificate and medal. The champion received a trophy and the first runner up received an award. Medals were donated by Morrow County House of Trophies.
The top 12 finishers are invited to participate in the Tri-County Spelling Bee held at Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center on Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. The alternate date is Feb. 15.
The public is invited to attend the spelling bee at Mid-Ohio ESC located at 890 W. Fourth St., Mansfield.
