Area Spellers Hone Skills For Upcoming County Bee

Get out your dictionary and start studying, because the Kosciusko County Spelling Bee starts next week.

Arrangements for this year's contest are being handled by two school systems - Brett Boggs, Akron Elementary principal, is organizing the elementary bee, and Russ Mikel, of Wawasee Schools, is in charge of the middle school bee.

Contestants will be school winners from public, private and home schools in Kosciusko County.

Fifth- and sixth-graders will match wits at 7 p.m. Monday at Mentone Elementary.

Seventh- and eighth-graders will face off at 7 p.m. Feb. 8 at Wawasee Middle School.

The finals will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 10, also at Wawasee Middle School. In this last competition, the winner of the fifth- and sixth-grade bee will go head-to-head with the winner of the seventh- and eighth-grade contest for the title of Kosciusko County Spelling Champion. The overall winner will represent the county at the Area Spelling Bee in Fort Wayne March 12.

Contestants for the elementary bee will be (listed by school):

• Akron Elementary - Kameron Larimer, grade 5, son of Ray Larimer and Chasity Osborne.

• Eisenhower Elementary - Zac Erba, grade 6, son of Scott and Karen Erba.

• Harrison Elementary - Elizabeth Watson, grade 6, daughter of Buckley and Laura Watson.

• Jefferson Elementary - Henry Robinson, grade 6, son of David and Sally Robinson.

• Leesburg Elementary - Derek Baker, grade 6, son of Kenneth and Sherry Baker.

• Lincoln Elementary - Zakkary Moreno, grade 5, son of Martin and Becky Moreno.

• Madison Elementary - Brandi Ciriello, grade 5, daughter of Tony and Jean Ciriello.

• Mentone Elementary - Leah Sponseller, grade 5, daughter of Bryan and Lisa Sponseller.

• Milford Elementary - William Leismer, grade 6, son of Daniel and Mary Dennise Leismer.

• North Webster Elementary - Sophia Katsaropoulos, grade 5, daughter of Trent and Stella Harris.

• Pierceton Elementary - Scott Paulus, grade 5, son of Sam and Sue Paulus.

• Redeemer Lutheran School - C.J. Dehning, grade 6, child of the Rev. K.C. and Terri Dehning.

• South Whitley Elementary - Adam Konger, grade 5, son of Gary Konger and Robin Jones.

• Syracuse Elementary - Zach Prescott, grade 5, son of Jamie and Tiffany Prescott.

• Tippecanoe Valley Middle School - Nicole Hamann, grade 6, daughter of Tim Hamann and Kellie Roth.

• Triton Elementary - Tayler Fisher, grade 5, child of Lee and Leah Fisher.

• Warsaw Christian School - Kayley Herbruck, grade 6, daughter of Gary and Terry Herbruck.

• Washington Elementary - Kristin Allen, grade 6, daughter of Kraig and Dawn Allen.

Middle-school spellers will be:

• Edgewood Middle School - Colt Hudson, grade 8, son of Becky LaRue, Winona Lake.

• HELPS Homeschoolers - Brittanie Davis, grade 7, daughter of Tom and Tammie Davis, Warsaw.

• Lakeview Middle School - Chris Allen, grade 7, child of Daniel and Nanette Allen, Winona Lake.

• Milford School - Holly Kolberg, grade 7, daughter of Doyle and Cynthia Kolberg, Syracuse.

• Wawasee Middle School - Paige Geer, grade 8, daughter of Blake and Connie Geer, Syracuse.

• (No school listed) - Jessica David, grade 8, daughter of Abel and Becky David, Warsaw.