Congratulations to 6th grader, Gabe Petersen, for representing Blue Earth Area at the Regional Spelling Bee, held in North Mankato Tuesday evening. We are proud to have had Gabe acting as our BEA representative in this academically challenging event.
Continue reading below for the results of the competition.
Students Compete to Spell Their Way to Washington
By Mary Hillmann
South Central Service Cooperative
On a beautiful winter evening, 22 spellers from south central Minnesota competed Feb. 20 in the South Central Service Cooperative Regional Spelling Bee, a qualifier for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The participating fifth through eighth grade students had previously won their local bees.
After 8 rounds, Elijah Elledge, a sixth grade student from Immanuel Lutheran School was named champion after correctly spelling “vanquish” as the championship word. Elledge was awarded a medal; a trophy; a subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica Online, Merriam-Webster
Unabridged Online, Epic Family and Tynker coding classes; a mint proof set; a prize pack from the Minnesota Service Cooperatives; and travel expenses and accommodations to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
Hudson Clayton, a sixth grader from St. John Vianney School in Fairmont, finished in second place after a two round spell-off with Bailey O’Brian from Loyola Catholic School in Mankato.
The SCSC bee was made possible by generous sponsorships from South Central Service Cooperative, The Minnesota Service Cooperatives, Lathrop GPM, Medica, WEX, South Central College, Mankato Kiwanis Club, Merriam-Webster, Encyclopedia Britannica, Samuel Louis Sugarman, epic! and Tynker.
In addition to improving students’ spelling skills and increasing their vocabularies, spelling bee participation provides valuable experience in developing poise – a necessary skill for success in public speaking, performing arts and athletics.
Full spelling bee results:
1st – Elijah Elledge, Immanuel Lutheran School
2nd – Hudson Clayton, St. John Vianney School
3rd – Bailey O’Brien, Loyola Catholic School
4th – Erika Eilertson, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton
5th (tie) – Anya Stoll, St. Peter Lutheran School
Leo Detloff, Truman School District
6th (tie) – Dylan Lunz, Comfrey Public School
Brea Ervin, Fairmont Elementary School
Tabitha Barkosky, Maple River Public School
Anna Devine, Most Holy Redeemer School
Kalissa Dorn, Nicollet Public School
Kaelyn Ellis, St. James Middle School
Eden Carlovsky, St. Paul’s Lutheran School
Lillie Lassahn, Tri-City United Public Schools
7th – Aria Baune, Kato Public Charter School
8th (tie) – Gabriel Petersen, Blue Earth Area Middle School
Vannah Madsen, Granada Huntley East Chain
9th (tie) – Logan Baker, Cleveland Public Schools
Annabelle Watson, Fairmont Jr./Sr. High School
Isaiah Junker, Mountain Lake Public Schools
Jack Peterson, New Ulm Area Catholic Schools
Taya Bastian, Sleepy Eye Public Schools
Also qualifying but not able to participate: Avery Norsten, Bridges Community School