Marion Elementary School sixth-grader Colin Williams outlasted and outspelled 17 other students Thursday to win first place in the school’s qualifying round for the Marion County round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Students in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades were eligible to compete. Classes held competitions to determine who would participate in the spelling bee.
Skillet, rascal, mural, leftovers, and wardrobe were some of the words that sent 11 students to the gymnasium bleachers after the first round. After seven rounds, only Williams and sixth-grader Lindsey Sigel remained.
It took another nine rounds before Sigel stumbled on the word “carpenter,” and Williams spelled both “evidence” and “thermostat” correctly to win.
Williams and Sigel will participate in the county-wide spelling bee Feb. 8 at USD 408 Performing Arts Center. Sixth-grader Devin Hamm, who finished third, will be the alternate.
They will be joined by three Marion Middle School students who achieved top honors in the spelling bee for seventh and eighth graders held Jan. 18.
Joshua Knolla won the MMS bee, and Mason Pederson placed second. Devin Regnier finished third and is the MMS alternate. All three are in seventh grade.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee has only one division, which includes fourth through eighth grade, so elementary and middle school students will be competing against each other to advance to the next round of competition.