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One by one they walked solemnly up to the microphone, patiently giving their names, grades and schools before they listened intently to the word they had to spell.
And, one by one, over the course of a dozen rounds, they dropped out, until only two were left.
Ashley Wireman of Washington Elementary correctly spelled "trudged" after it was missed by Brent Danner of North Webster Elementary. To clinch her victory, Wireman then spelled "irrelevant," winning the first round of the 1998 Kosciusko County Spelling Bee.
Wireman's win came 90 minutes after the spelling bee began Monday night at First United Methodist Church. For 23 fifth- and sixth-graders, the experience was the culmination of weeks of hard work.
"You've all distinguished yourselves at your individual schools," said Patricia Deck, Lakeview Middle School principal and organizer of this year's bee.
The first student eliminated misspelled "concept" in the first round, and then "blustery" and "neighborhood" caused more casualties.
The longer the bee went, the harder the words got, with the students successfully spelling such words as "constraint," "primitive" and "equinox."
Round nine caused even more eliminations with "inefficient" and "appropriate" and, after an hour, only six spellers remained.
Brittany Kusserow, of Eisenhower Elementary, lasted 10 rounds, losing finally with "celestial," and the 11th round claimed Keith Winget, South Whitley Elementary, with "satellite"; Daniel Hoover, Syracuse Elementary, with "obstetrician"; and Matt Keplinger, Whitko Middle School, with "privilege."
Besides winning the spelling bee and going on to compete against the seventh- and eighth-grade winner Wednesday, Wireman also won the Richard Long Scholarship of $2,500, which will be held in trust for her until her graduation from high school.
Tonight's competition begins at 7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, and tomorrow's finals will be broadcast live on WRSW, both AM and FM.
