Spelling Bee winners announced

Eight classroom winners took part in the final spell down for the Spelling Bee contest on Thursday, January 25. They had the event in front of students in the Clearbrook-Gonvick school gym.

The Spelling Bee is a series of competitions beginning at the local school level, advancing to the Regional, and then to the State competition with an opportunity to win a trip to the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. The event focuses on spelling and vocabulary knowledge with students in grades 5-8 eligible to compete.

Winner of the Spelling Bee at the school was Ella Engen. She will go to the Regional Spelling Bee that will be held on February 7 at Northland Community and Technical College, in Thief River Falls.  Placing second was Justyce Auguinash and third was Justin Zarling. The other five finalists were: Skylar Ballard, Reign Wegscheid, Johnny Martin, Kelsi Kalenak, and Madison Gerlofs.

Everyone made it through the first round but the second round took out three of the contestants. Three more rounds and the fourth and they were down to three contestants.  With the words administration and affirmation they were down to Ella and Justyce. Justyce left out one letter in barrette and Ella went on to spell dexterity, marmalade and exasperation to be declared first place winner. 

Madison and Justin went on to compete for the third place. They had three rounds before Justin spelled boisterously and tribulations correctly to take the third place.

The winner at Thief River Falls will take part in the 2018 Multi-Regional Spelling Bee on February 20 at Lakes County Service Cooperative in Fergus Falls. 

The Scripps National Spelling Bee will be held in Washington, DC. The national spelling bee was founded in 1925 and has been held continuously since, except during the World War II years of 1943, 1944 and 1945. That makes this year our 90th, and we’re celebrating!