Can you spell that?
If you cant, Im sure West Holmes eighth-grader Louis Crider would be more than happy to, as he took the annual West Holmes Middle School spelling bee championship title on Friday, Jan. 27, in the Little Theatre.
Louis outlasted 27 other students competing for the title, including children from all grades. Finally, in the 12th round, Crider correctly spelled the word audience to win the championship title, after runner-up and eighth-grader Mia Sigler misspelled the word replete in the 11th round, after spelling the 2010 championship word strome in the practice round.
Sigler commented that she didnt expect to go that far in the competition. I didnt expect to be runner-up. Ive been in a couple spelling bees in elementary school and in sixth grade and I havent made it past the top seven. So it was exciting to make it this far.
Sigler will be an alternate, if Crider cannot attend, in the Regional Bee at GlenOak High School in Canton March 3.
Many students attended a study session, which included the showing of the movie Akeela and the Bee, plus pizza and pop after school on Wednesday, Jan. 11. However, both the winner and runner-up claimed they didnt study too much for the competition.
I didnt study at all for the bee. I feel like if I study I feel prepared and overestimate my abilities, commented Sigler.
I didnt study either. Once I study something I can usually remember it for a while, once I see it or hear it again I usually know it, but this was my first spelling bee, said Crider, who is no stranger to winning bees after taking this years West Holmes Middle School annual geography bee just a few days prior.
The number of participants was much larger this year, as there were 27 students who participated to go through 12 rounds to finally bring the competition to an end. Twelve participants last year only had to go seven rounds to bring the competition victory to sixth-grader Daniel Drummond.
To be entered into the spelling bee the students had to take a written exam, and if they missed one or none then they could participate in the competition. For each student who participated in the competition it was an honor, which brought about a bundle of nerves.
Carla Lance, coordinator and judge, commented, All participants this year were well prepared for todays competition. Excitement and nervousness are always factors during the competition.
Other judges were Taylor Skelton, Nina Lanning, and Nic Fioritto. The pronouncer was Josh Wengerd
Participants in the bee included eighth-graders Jillian Gurley, Courtney Baker, Louis Crider, Brandy Haddock, Brittany Phillips, Kinsey Martin, Cody Straits, Dakota Medley, Sierra Wengerd, Jason Abraham, Jessica Marmet, Cory Cottrell, Dylan Jolley, Mia Sigler; seventh-graders Brandon Cool and Ethan Alverson; and sixth-graders Madi Starner, Mackenzie DeVoe, Kiana Byers, Teddy Oliver, Taylor Vecchio, Dailyn Patterson, Whitney Weese, Chandler Kauffman, Kiowa Looney, and Emily Ramseyer.
