County Spelling Bee Starts Monday

Grab your dictionary and get ready to be impressed - the Kosciusko County Spelling Bee starts Monday.

Featuring the county's best spellers in grades five through eight, the bee starts at 7 p.m. Monday at First United Methodist Church, Warsaw.

As in the past, the first night will feature fifth- and sixth-grade students, and the second night will test seventh- and eighth-graders. The third night, which will start at 6:30 p.m. in the Warsaw Community Schools' administration building, will pit the winners of the first two nights against each other.

It also will be broadcast live on WRSW.

The winner of the county spelling bee will go on to compete in regional, and possibly state, contests.

If the winner is unable for some reason to compete, the runner-up would take their place.

Following is the list of the spelling champions and runners-up in area schools.

Monday

Akron Elementary - Kelsey Kitch, 11, daughter of Linda and Steve Kitch, Akron; runner-up: Chloie Engledow, 11, daughter of Jan and Randy Engledow, Silver Lake.

Atwood Elementary - Brooklyn Baber, 11, daughter of Gerry and Amy Baber, Warsaw; runner-up: Kegan Woodling, 11, son of Tonya and Randy Woodling, Warsaw.

Burket Elementary - J.W. Crace, 11, son of Bobbie Crouch, Warsaw; runner-up: Justin Hughes, 11, son of Tina and Steve Hughes, Claypool.

Claypool Elementary - Cedric Poage, 11, son of Cindy Poage, Claypool; runner-up: Nicholas Prater, 12, son of Kris and Jeff Prater, Claypool.

Eisenhower Elementary - Bryce Durgin, 10, son of Susan and Robert Durgin, Winona Lake; runner-up: Danielle Kessler, 12, daughter of Dienne and Terry Kessler, Warsaw.

Harrison Elementary - Michael Abel, 12, son of Suzanne and Robert Abel, Warsaw; runner-up: Evan Lancaster, 11, son of Joan Lytle and Mark Lancaster, Warsaw.

HELPS Homeschool Group - Isaac Meadows, 10, son of Kay and Tim Meadows, Warsaw.

Jefferson Elementary - Tasha Mitchell, 12, daughter of Terri Mitchell, Winona Lake; runner-up: Michael Reyes, 11, son of Tina and Julio Reyes, Winona Lake.

Leesburg Elementary - James Mikel, 11, son of Pamela and William Wright, Leesburg; runner-up: Ashley Czuba, 12, daughter of Beth Czuba, Leesburg.

Lincoln Elementary - Alecia Long, 11, daughter of Angelica and Stephan Long, Warsaw; runner-up: Michelle Voss, 11, daughter of Betsy and Juergen Voss, Warsaw.

Madison Elementary - Anna Klatt, 12, daughter of Martha and Philip Klatt, Warsaw; runner-up: Dena'e Howell, 12, daughter of Elaine and Donny Howell, Warsaw.

Mentone School - Shanna Miller, 10, daughter of Leisa Bowling, Atwood; runner-up: Alyssa Reyes, 8, daughter of Corina and Joe Reyes, Warsaw.

Milford School - Elizabeth Olson, 10, daughter of Barbara and Robert Olson, Milford; runner-up: Tom Brown, 12, son of Kathryn and Andrew Brown, Syracuse.

North Webster Elementary - Kristen Zeigler, 11, daughter of Laura and Bryan Zeigler, Leesburg; runner-up: Melissa Sabones, 11, daughter of Lisa and Michael Sabones, Leesburg.

Pierceton Elementary - Stephanie Campbell, 11, daughter of Myra and Kevin Mast, Pierceton; runner-up: Jessica Geiger, 11, daughter of Carla and Steve Gebert, Larwill.

Redeemer Lutheran School - Mark Glova, 10, son of Elaine and Steve Glova, Warsaw; runner-up: Timothy Coxey, 11, son of Wendy and Thomas Coxey, Warsaw.

Sacred Heart School - Kristen Lowell, daughter of Janice and Ronald Lowell, Warsaw; runner-up: Chris Kuehl, son of Marie and Thomas Kuehl, Warsaw.

Silver Lake Elementary - Megan Sherwin, 11, daughter of Mary and Brad Sherwin, Silver Lake; runner-up: Alicia Shepherd, 11, daughter of Vickie and Tom Shoettmer, Silver Lake.

South Whitley Elementary - Brandon Reiff, 11, son of Dawn Reiff, South Whitley; runner-up: Joshua Feasby, 10, son of Patricia and Larry Feasby, South Whitley.

Triton Elementary - Brittany Cook, 12, daughter of Christine and Michael Cook, Bourbon; runner-up: Nicholas Harrell, 11, son of Ann and Bill Harrell, Bourbon.

Washington Elementary - Alex VanDuyne, 11, son of Ann and Dennis VanDuyne, Claypool; runner-up: Jacob Tusing, 12, son of Tammie Ingle, Warsaw.

Tuesday

Edgewood Middle School - Ashley Wireman, 14, daughter of Sandra and Greg Wireman, Warsaw; runner-up: Brittney Elkins, 13, daughter of Kim and Dodge Elkins, Warsaw.

Lakeview Middle School - Brandon Fruit, 13, son of Michelle Keplinger and David Fruit, Warsaw; runner-up: Joni Crousore, 12, daughter of Amy and Edmond Crousore, Warsaw.

Milford School - Seth Blakeslee, 13, son of Vivian and John Blakeslee, Milford; runner-up: Haley Bird, 13, daughter of Debra and Charles Bird, Milford.

Tippecanoe Valley Middle School - Kyle Brown, 12, son of Teresa and Jeff Brown, Mentone; runner-up: Samantha Wickman, 13, daughter of Cyndee and Tim Wickman, Claypool.

Triton Jr.-Sr. High School - Jenna Thomas, 14, daughter of Victoria Thomas, Etna Green; runner-up: Amy Yoder, 13, daughter of Cindy and Jerry Yoder, Etna Green.

Wawasee Middle School - Brent Danner, 12, son of Nancy and Tom Danner, Leesburg; runner-up: Zachary Davis, 12, son of Shirley and Timothy Davis, Syracuse.