Crestview 8th grader wins spelling bee

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Crestview Middle School eighth grader Ian Owens was a superior speller on Sunday. In fact, it was the word superior – S-U-P-E-R-I-O-R – that clinched Owens the title of 2024 Van Wert County Spelling Bee champion.

Owens, 13, outlasted 12 other contestants from Crestview, Lincolnview, St. Mary of the Assumption and Van Wert over the course of 17 rounds. Crestview Elementary fifth grader Ryder Marquardt was the runner-up and Lincolnview Elementary sixth grade student Rilynn Jackson-Caffee finished third.

Owens said it felt great to win, but he admitted he battled nerves while on the stage at the Marsh Foundation, the host site for the annual spelling bee.

“I was very nervous,” he said. “I got a little more confident as it went on.”

Owens estimated that he spent between 5-6 hours studying for the event and while he’s only in eighth grade, he’s thinking about someday attending Huntington University to pursue a degree in agriculture.

In addition to the title of champion, Owens received a plaque and a check for $150 from Van Wert Federal Savings Bank. Marquardt and Jackson-Caffee also received plaques and checks for $100 and $50 respectively.

Doug Grooms, School Psychologist/Special Services Coordinator with the Van Wert City Schools served as the pronouncer, and the judges were Rachel Eicher, Dustin Hessling and Trent Kreischer.

After the competition, County Spelling Bee Coordinator and Master of Ceremonies Ashley Shepherd sang the praises of the contestants and the spelling bee.

“I think it’s an excellent academic opportunity and it’s an achievement,” she said. “So often we do so much for sports and families gather and cheer everyone on and that’s great, but I also love that we can celebrate and recognize kids for academic achievements as well. I really think the spelling bee is special. Everyone you talk to has a memory of their spelling bee when they were young and they’ll never forget the world they were asked that they got out on.”

“I feel like it’s a core memory and I love that they have this experience,” Shepherd added. “I love that they get to represent their home schools and I love that their families, their grandparents, their friends get to be here and support them.”

The top three finishers, along with all other contestants will be able to move onto an online regional qualifier. The top 20-25 contestants from that will advance to in-person regional spelling bee at Maumee Indoor Theater at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 9. The winner of the regional contest will go on to compete in the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.