Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
If it's midwinter, it must be time for the Kosciusko County Spelling Bee.
This year's bee will be different from last year's - all contests will be held at Warsaw Community Public Library.
Seventh- and eighth-grade spellers will compete today at 10 a.m. Fifth- and sixth-grade contestants will square off today at 1:30 p.m. Both bees will take place in Meeting Room C at the library.
Also different this year will be the judges - city and county DARE officers will do the judging for the first time.
This afternoon's bee will include winning spellers from elementary schools in the county; this morning's will be the champions of each middle school.
The final spelling bee - between the winning fifth- and sixth-grader and the winning seventh- and eighth-grader - will be Monday at 7 p.m., again at WCPL.
This year's contestants, listed by school, are:
Fifth- and sixth-graders:
Akron Elementary - Landon Hendrix, 10, son of Ramara and Wayne Hendrix, Claypool; runner-up - Erika Guzman, 10, daughter of Olga and Erik Guzman, Akron.
Atwood Elementary - Kelli Biller, 11, daughter of Todd and Sara Biller, Warsaw; runner-up - Hanna Long, daughter of Mike and Shawn Long, Warsaw.
Burket Elementary - Ryan Scherzer, son of Diana and Gene Scherzer.
Claypool Elementary - Blake Hughes, 12, son of Carl and Mary Hughes, Claypool; runner-up - Jaclyn Amiss, 12, daughter of Shanon and Rebecca Amiss, Claypool.
Eisenhower Elementary - Bryce Durgin, 11, son of Susan and Robert Durgin, Winona Lake; runner-up - Christopher Hamman, 11, son of Pamela and Michael Hamman, Warsaw.
Harrison Elementary - Anushri Gokhale, 12, daughter of Samjay and Sujata Gokhale, Warsaw; runner-up - Stephanie Spry, 12, daughter of Greg and Susan Spry, Warsaw.
HELPS Homeschoolers - Matthew Christy
Jefferson Elementary - Courtney Woodward, 12, daughter of Cheri and Jeff Bryan and Bruce Woodward, Winona Lake; runner-up - Daniel Kamholtz, 12, son of Kurt and Cindy Kamholtz, Winona Lake.
Leesburg Elementary - Kayla Phetyaso, 12, daughter of Somsamay and Vieng Phetyaso, Leesburg; runner-up - Brandon Rees, 11, son of Carmin and Charles Rees, Warsaw.
Lincoln Elementary - Krysta Miller, 10, daughter of Randy and Deb Miller, Warsaw; runner-up - Kassi Myers, 12, daughter of Denise Myers, Warsaw.
Madison Elementary - Branden Cochran, 11, son of Beth Cochran, Warsaw; runner-up - Eric Blanton, 11, son of Larry and Sharon Blanton, Warsaw.
Mentone Elementary -Austin Donovan, 11, son of Rick and Melissa Donovan, Mentone; runner-up - Robert Bitting, 11, son of Jerry and Tammy Johnson, Mentone.
Milford - Sarah McBride, 11, daughter of William and Sylvia McBride, Milford; runner-up - Elizabeth Olson, 11, daughter of Robert and Barbara Olson, Milford.
North Webster Elementary - Andrea Whealy, 11, daughter of Mark and Beverly Whealy, North Webster; runner-up - Cassandra Goshert, 11, daughter of Joe and Valerie Skaggs, Cromwell.
Pierceton Elementary - Mason Price, 11, son of Janelle and Edward Price, Churubusco; runner-up - Kaitlin Cunningham, 11, daughter of Dee and Dod Cunningham, Pierceton.
Redeemer Lutheran - Julie Johnson, 12, daughter of Bruce and Holly Johnson, Warsaw; runner-up - Mark Glova, 11, son of Steve and Elaine Gloca, Warsaw.
Sacred Heart - Michael Pownall, 11, son of Doug and Judy Pownall, Warsaw; runner-up - Stephanie Kreager, 11, daughter of Daniel and Diane Kreager, Warsaw.
Silver Lake Elementary - Tim Jayne, 11, son of Jodi Pruitt and Steve Jayne, Silver Lake; runner-up - Judd Julian, son of Cherie and David Julian, Silver Lake.
Syracuse Elementary - Ivan Olivares, 10, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Jose Olivares, Syracuse; runner-up - Blake Keene, 11, son of Margaret Appenzeller, Syracuse.
South Whitley Elementary - Jed Magnus, 12, son of Don Magnus, North Manchester; runner-up - Laura Kessie, 11, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kent Reece, Fort Wayne.
Triton Elementary - Joshua Hall, 11, son of Kim Hall, Bourbon; runner-up - Nicholas Harrell, 12, son of Ann Harrell, Bourbon.
Washington Elementary - Alex VanDuyne, 12, son of Dennis and Ann VanDuyne, Claypool; runner-up - Tiffany Shepherd, 12, daughter of Elbert and Sheila Shepherd, Warsaw.
Seventh- and eighth-graders:
Edgewood Middle School - Jennifer Whitaker, 12, daughter of Cynthia and Michael Whitaker, Warsaw; runner-up - Tasha Mitchell, 12, daughter of Terri and Victor Mitchell, Warsaw.
Lakeview Middle School - Jeff Bryant, 13, son of Sheri Bryant, Warsaw; runner-up - Ashley Czuba, 13, daughter of Beth Czuba, Warsaw.
Milford - Rachel Stichter, 14, daughter of Kirk and Dawn Stichter, Milford; runner-up - Seth Blakeslee, 14, daughter of John and Viv Blakeslee, Milford.
Tippecanoe Valley Middle School - Kyle Brown, 13, son of Jeff and Teresa Brown, Mentone; runner-up - Courtney Flannery, 12, daughter of Curtis and Janet Flannery, Akron.
Wawasee Middle School - Daniel Hoover, 14, son of Randa and David Hoover, Syracuse; runner-up - Erin Hollingsworth, 14, daughter of Larry and Stella Hollingsworth, Syracuse.
