Carly Wendel wins county spelling bee

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert County Spelling Bee came to a fiery ending last evening in the Marsh Foundation Auditorium. Actually, the word “fiery” ended the event as Lincolnview seventh-grader Carly Wendel spelled that word correctly to edge Crestview seventh-grade Emily Fegley and become the county’s top speller.

Carly, the daughter of Kyle and Christie Wendel, defeated 12 other individual school spelling bee winners to earn a chance to compete in the Journal-Gazette Spelling Bee in Fort Wayne, Ind., which is a qualifier for the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee held annually in Washington, D.C.

Wendel won the contest after Fegley stumbled over the word “innate,” leaving out one of the n’s. Wendel then spelled the words “guitar” and “fiery” to win the competition.

Lincolnview fifth-grader Ariel Pruden, daughter of Patrick and Michelle Pruden, finished in third place.

“I am surprised,” Wendel said after the competition. “I didn’t think I’d win because there were a lot of good spellers.”

The Lincolnview seventh-grader, a natural speller, said she didn’t study all that much for the county spelling bee, but noted she would do more prepping before the Fort Wayne competition, which provides a trip to Washington, D.C.

Wendel earned a check for $125 from Van Wert Federal Savings Bank in honor of the bank’s 125 anniversary. Fegley and Pruden also received cash prizes, all of which were presented by bank representative Mark Schumm.

Judges for the county event included Crestview Elementary Principal Kathy Mollenkopf, Lincolnview Elementary Principal Nita McKinney and Van Wert Middle School guidance counselor Ed Clark. Van Wert School Psychologist Doug Grooms was the pronouncer. Lincolnview Superintendent Jeff Snyder was the master of ceremonies for the bee, while Sandra Freeman of the Western Buckeye Educational Service Center is the spelling bee coordinator for the county.

Marsh School Principal Roger Salisbury and Marsh students were responsible for setup and cleanup activities in the auditorium for the competition, while Lincolnview elementary teacher Ellen Hemple was the greeter for the event.

Other competitors in this year’s county spelling bee, who all received certificates for participating, included Crestview fifth-grader Matthew Lautzenheiser, sixth-grader Tiffany Thompson and eighth-grader Amber Lichtenberger; Lincolnview sixth-grader Kirsten Stemen and eighth-grader Braxten Robey; St. Mary’s Elementary School fourth-grader Catherine Kopack; and Van Wert fifth-grader Rachel Spath, sixth-grader Angel Haller, seventh-grader Marshall Healey, who finished fifth in last year’s county spelling bee, and eighth-grader Bri Martz.