Wade Healey 2012 county spelling champ

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert County Spelling Bee ended in a fiery finish as Van Wert Middle School eighth-grader Wade Healey spelled the word “fiery” to become the 2012 county spelling champ.

Healey not only had to overcome 13 other county school spelling champs, but a bit of sibling rivalry as well, as brother Marshall, a fifth-grader at the S.F. Goedde Building, also competed, coming in fifth overall.

Both boys said they were okay with competing, with each promising to not have sour grapes if the other won. “We made a deal that, if one won and other didn’t, that we wouldn’t be jealous of each other,” explained Marshall Healey.

Of course, that was before Marshall learned he would be competing directly against his big brother. “I thought we would be competing in groups,” Marshall said. “I didn’t even know I’d have to go up against him.”

Wade Healey said he studied very hard, practicing a lot with the help of his mother, Toni, who gave him some tips based on how she studied while taking her medical assistant’s exam.

Both he and his brother used the placards with their competition number on it to spell each word with their finger, with Wade Healey said was helpful.

“I spelled each word with my finger to help me visualize it,” he noted, while there was no doubt he was excited to be the new county spelling champ.

“I feel great right now,” he noted. “I’m excited to represent Van Wert County in Fort Wayne at IPFW.”

Toni Healey said she was proud of both her sons and said she and Wade had made note cards, circling any word he stumbled over and breaking each word down so he could visualize them better.

She added that she thought something else contributed to his victory. “I think playing the Xbox and not thinking today (was helpful).”

The Healey boys’ father, Michael, was proud of both his boys — pretty sure they got their spelling prowess from their mother. “I can’t even spell ‘spelling bee’,” he said with a smile.

Sibling rivalry was not just confined to the Healeys during Thursday’s Spelling Bee. Two sisters, fifth-grader Carly Wendel and eighth-grader Katlyn Wendel, daughters of Kyle and Christie Wendel, also competed, and a third set of siblings nearly made it, with runner-up Joey Schaufelberger’s brother, Jakob Schaufelberger also runner-up to Wade Healey during the VWMS school spelling bee. Joey is a fifth-grader at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic School, and both boys are the sons of Matt and Julie Schaufelberger.

Third-place winner was Frankie Carey, daughter of Randall and Leigh Carey and a sixth-grader at Lincolnview Elementary School.

Other competitors include Robert Gonzalez, a fifth-grader at Crestview Elementary; Amber Lichtenberger, a sixth-grader at Crestview; Emma Saylor, a seventh-grader at Crestview Middle School; Isaiah Longwell, an eighth-grader at Crestview; Skyler Whitaker, an eighth-grader at Lincolnview Junior High; Michael Stephey, an eighth-grader at Lincolnview’s Marsh School; Lauren Cooper, a sixth-grader at VWMS; and Nicholas Motycka, a seventh-grader at VWMS.

VWMS Principal Mark Bagley and Lincolnview Elementary Principal Gordon Stemen were the judges (Crestview Elementary Principal Kathy Mollenkopf had an emergency and couldn’t make it), Dr. Robert Scheidt performed pronouncing duties and Sandra Freeman of the Western Buckeye Educational Service Center emceed the event.

Mark Schumm of Van Wert Federal Savings Bank presented checks to the three top winners, with the winner earning $100 for his victory.