County's Best Spellers Face Off Next Week

The best spellers in the county will meet next week to battle for the county spelling title.

The Kosciusko County Spelling Bee gets under way Monday with the fifth/sixth-grade competition, followed Tuesday with the contest for seventh- and eighth-graders. Wednesday's finals will feature the Monday and Tuesday winners in a spelldown for the county championship.

Thirty students will compete in the bee as their elementary or middle school champions.

As in the past, the preliminary rounds will be at First United Methodist Church, 179 S. Indiana St., Warsaw. Wednesday's championship match will take place across the street in the WRSW offices and will be broadcast live. All matches begin at 7 p.m.

Wednesday's winner will represent Kosciusko County in the regional spelling bee March 21 in Fort Wayne.

Both finalists will receive the $2,500 Richard R. Long Scholarship, which is sponsored by the International Palace of Sports Foundation in North Webster.

Following are the spelling champions and runners-up from the Kosciusko County area. Should any champion be unable to represent his school in the bee, the runner-up would take his place.

Monday

Akron Elementary - Kayla Clemons, Akron, daughter of Diana Tilden and Brad Clemons; runner-up, Keith Kindig, Akron, son of Greg and Sheila Kindig.

Atwood Elementary - Jordan Skeans, Nappanee, son of Jerry and Janice Skeans; runner-up, Emma Leigh Hill, Warsaw, daughter of Joe and Laura Hill.

Burket Elementary - Stefanie Elliott, Mentone, daughter of Paul and Tammy Elliott; runner-up, Jana Meredith, Warsaw, daughter of James and Debra Meredith.

Claypool Elementary - Joshua Bradley, Claypool, son of Joann and Joseph Bradley; runner-up, Trenton Elkins, Claypool, son of Diane and Larry Elkins.

Eisenhower Elementary - Brittany Kusserow, Winona Lake, daughter of Hans and Karen Kusserow; runner-up, Chris Breault, Warsaw, son of Mike and Mary Breault.

Harrison Elementary - Evan Miller, Warsaw, son of William and Jill Miller; runner-up, Kyle Cowan, Warsaw, son of Gary Cowan and Jill Cowan.

HELPS (home schools) - Erin Kantz, Milford, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Kantz; runner-up, Daniel Buckholz, Warsaw, son of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Buckholz.

Jefferson Elementary - B.J. Woodward, Winona Lake, son of Cheri Bryan and Bruce Woodward; runner-up, Genaia McClellan, Winona Lake, daughter of Mathew and Sandy McClellan.

Leesburg Elementary - Amanda Leavitt, Warsaw, daughter of Patti Greenley; runner-up, Brittany Rowe, Warsaw, daughter of Judy Rowe.

Lincoln Elementary - Gabe Nichols, Warsaw, son of Garry and Lisa Nichols; runner-up, Phillip Robinson, Warsaw, son of Scott Robinson and Shanda and Christopher Sanchez.

Madison Elementary - Jason Seaberg, Warsaw, son of Teresa Dohner; runner-up, Brent Chapman, Warsaw, son of Gail and David Chapman.

Mentone Elementary - Joel Rittenhouse, Mentone, son of the Rev. and Mrs. Greg Rittenhouse; runner-up, Larissa Hensley, Rochester, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hensley.

Milford School - Jacob Martin, Syracuse, son of Robin and Cheryl Martin; runner-up, Tarina Sorensen, Milford, daughter of Brad and Cheryl Sorensen.

North Webster Elementary - Brent Danner, Leesburg, son of Tom and Nancy Danner; runner-up, Jay Rigdon, North Webster, son of Jay and Brenda Rigdon.

Pierceton Elementary - Jaclyn Glaze, Pierceton, daughter of Jim and Deb Glaze; runner-up, Korey Flinn, Pierceton, son of Kip and Deb Flinn.

Redeemer Lutheran - Ryan Smith, Syracuse, son of Ronald and Ren Smith; runner-up, Katy Coxey, Warsaw, daughter of Thomas and Wendy Coxey.

Sacred Heart - Jeff Hale, Warsaw, son of Doug and RoseAnn Hale; runner-up, Ross Adang, Pierceton, son of Steve and Jackie Adang.

Silver Lake Elementary - Andrea Holt, Silver Lake, daughter of Dennis and Marie Holt; runner-up, Danielle Kindig, Silver Lake, daughter of Dan and Edna Kindig.

South Whitley Elementary - Keith Winget, South Whitley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Winget; runner-up, Angie Phillips, South Whitley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rick Phillips.

Syracuse Elementary - Daniel Hoover, Syracuse, son of Randa and David Hoover; runner-up, Heather Aronhalt, Syracuse, daughter of John and Sarah Aronhalt.

Triton Elementary - Jenna Thomas, Etna Green, daughter of Victoria Thomas; runner-up, Jessica Newell, Bourbon, daughter of Cindy Eder and Daniel Newell.

Washington Elementary - Ashley Wireman, Warsaw, daughter of Greg and Sandra Wireman; runner-up, Melissa Buhrt, Warsaw, daughter of Dennis and Janice Buhrt.

Tuesday

Edgewood Middle School - Ashley Dirck, Warsaw, daughter of Martt and Shelley Clupper; runner-up, Brad Seiss, Warsaw, son of Stan and Linda Seiss.

Home School Friends - Tyler Petty, Warsaw, son of Gordon and Kirsten Petty; runner-up, Jasmine Orr, Warsaw, daughter of Joseph and Tamra Orr.

Lakeview Middle School - Suraj Datta, Warsaw, son of Jatinder and Gita Datta; runner-up, Pauline Campbell, Warsaw, daughter of Steve and Linda Campbell.

Milford School - Kyle Lantz, Milford, son of Mark and Cindi Lantz; runner-up, Regg Beer, Milford, son of Fred and Pat Beer.

Tippecanoe Valley Middle School - Michelle Kerkhoff, Warsaw, daughter of John and Mel Kerkhoff; runner-up, Amanda Elliott, Mentone, daughter of Paul and Tammy Elliott.

Triton Jr.-Sr. High School - Josh Nifong, Etna Green, son of Bobbi and Everett Nifong; runner-up, Christopher Kauffman, Bourbon, son of Roger and Ruth Kauffman.

Wawasee Middle School - Chris Ousley, Leesburg, son of Mitchell and Loretta Ousley; runner-up, Nick Houze, Leesburg, son of Michael and Debra Houze.

Whitko Middle School - Matt Keplinger, Pierceton, son of Bob and Robin Keplinger; runner-up, Kristin Bumbaugh, Pierceton, daughter of Paul and Dawn Bumbaugh.