County Spelling Bee to be held in February

VW independent/submitted information

Ashley Shepherd, director of gifted services for the Western Buckeye Educational Service Center, announces that the 2019 Journal Gazette Van Wert County Spelling Bee will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, February 4, in the Bagley Auditorium on the campus of The Marsh Foundation. This 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 representing the county in the Journal Gazette Regional Spelling Bee presented by Star Financial Bank on March 9. The regional event will be held in the Purdue Fort Wayne Rhinehart Recital Hall at 10 a.m. that day, with the winner of going on to compete in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

Individual school champions are as follows:

• Crestview Elementary: Caroline Marks, Grade 5
• Crestview Middle School: Wesyn Ludwig, Grade 8; Olivia Ramos, Grade 7; Natalie Burk, Grade 6
• Lincolnview Elementary: Case Young, Grade 5; and Bennett Kill, Grade 6
• Lincolnview Junior High: Jacob Grubb, Grade 7; and Parker McKenzie, Grade 8
• St. Mary of the Assumption School: Madelyn Berryman, Grade 6
• Van Wert City Elementary: Katie Kramer, Grade 5
• Van Wert Middle School: Aaron Reichert, Grade 6; Lyndsey Heath, Grade 7; Erin Schaufelberger, Grade 8

Doug Grooms, special services coordinator for Van Wert City Schools, will be the pronouncer, while judges for the Spelling Bee are VWMS Principal Mark Bagley and St. Mary’s Principal Dan Metzger. 

Lincolnview Elementary Principal Nita Meyer will serve as the greeter for this event, while Marsh School Principal Robbie Breese is in charge of the physical arrangements for the Spelling Bee.

Van Wert Federal Savings Bank is sponsoring the awards for the event, which include cash awards for the top three finishers and plaques for all of the contestants. 

Contestants are reminded to report to the Marsh Foundation School Library at 6:30 p.m. the day of the spelling bee, with an alternate date of Wednesday, February 6.

For more information, contact Shepherd by calling 419.399.4711 or emailing her at ashepherd@wbesc.org.