2022 county spelling bee info released

VW independent staff and submitted information

Ashley Shepherd, director of gifted services for Western Buckeye Educational Service Center, announces that the 2022 Van Wert County Spelling Bee will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, February 6, at the Marsh Foundation. The event is free and open to the public.

Thirteen contestants representing seven Van Wert County schools, grades 5-8, will compete for the honor of Van Wert County Spelling Bee champion. The final local spelling bee will take place at Owens Community College at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 19. The winner of the regional contest will go on to compete in the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.

Individual school champions are:

• Crestview Elementary: Emma Beougher, Grade 5
• Crestview Middle School: Ashley Burk, Grade 6, Lainey Gardner, Grade 7, Brentyn Rodriquez, Grade 8
• Lincolnview Elementary: Elijan Owens, Grade 5 and Joey-Kate Carey, Grade 6
• Lincolnview Junior High: Elijah Ryder, Grade 7 and Noah Peters, Grade 8
• St. Mary of the Assumption School: Makynlee Dickinson, Grade 6
• Van Wert Elementary: Blaine Baxter, Grade 5
• Van Wert Middle School: Isabelle Murphy, Grade 6, Lillian Mason, Grade 7, Hayden Saunier, Grade 8

Doug Grooms, Special Services Coordinator for the Van Wert City Schools will be the pronouncer. Judges for the Spelling Bee are Van Wert Middle School Principal Darla Dunlap, Lincolnview Junior High/High School Principal Brad Mendenhall, and Crestview Middle School Principal Trent Kreischer. The Marsh Foundation is in charge of the physical arrangements.

Van Wert Federal Savings Bank is sponsoring the awards for the event, which include cash awards and plaques for the top three finishers and certificates for all the contestants. The plaques are provided by Northwest Ohio Trophy.