Four students from Centerburg Local Schools have qualified to participate in the upcoming Knox County Spelling Bee. The students earned their spots by winning recent grade-level competitions at their school.
Avaya Hibbits became the fifth-grade champion after correctly spelling “receptionist” in the seventh round. Brayden Opsinls was the runner-up among ten participants. In sixth grade, Ethan Arms secured victory by spelling “bracken” and “neon” to end a 13-round contest, with Santiago Garcia finishing second out of ten spellers.
For seventh grade, Willow Barnard won by spelling “equestrian” and “Prestigious” in the fifth round, while Zachary Haynes took second place among ten competitors. Lucas Roth emerged as the eighth-grade winner by spelling “whittled” in the third round, competing against nine other students; Kiley Frye was runner-up.
These four champions will represent Centerburg at the Knox County Spelling Bee on January 14 at 7 p.m., held at Mount Vernon High School auditorium. They will compete against winners from Danville, East Knox, Fredericktown, and Mount Vernon schools. The Knox County Commissioners are set to serve as judges for this event.
In-school spelling bees across all districts are scheduled to finish in December. The county-level competition is organized by the Knox County Educational Service Center (ESC) and receives financial backing from the Mount Vernon Rotary Club.
Taylor Gingery, gifted and talented coordinator for ESC, coordinates in-school bees throughout each district and will act as pronouncer during the county bee.
