Students Compete In 2024 Williams County Spelling Bee

By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com

Students from across the Williams County area competed in the annual Spelling Bee this past week.

The Bee was held at Stryker in the school auditorium at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 25^th. The Bee was originally scheduled for Tuesday, January 23^rd but was rescheduled due to weather.

Students competing in this year’s Spelling Bee were as follows. John Deitemeyer and Adam Elzey from Bryan City Schools, Paisley Herman from Edon Northwest Schools, Nevaeh Blaine from Edgerton Schools, Weston Brown and Lily Moore from Montpelier Exempted Schools, Rachel Sparks from North Central Schools, Nathen Ryan-Wampole and Grace Oberlin from Stryker Schools, Brycen Cape and Eli McMaken from St. Mary Catholic School, and Anthony Alcantar and Tadzio Krukowski from St. Patrick Catholic School.

Additionally, the following students were recognized to compete but were absent. Lexie Hay from Edon Northwest Schools, Myles Baker from Edgerton Schools, Savannah Thompson and Brooklynn Gault from Millcreek-West Unity Schools, and Leah Reyome from North Central Schools.

The Bee began with each of the students coming up to introduce themselves before also being given a practice word.

It was then time for the competition to officially begin. Students competed for approximately 13 rounds. Words were put forth like orchard, alderman, buffalo, admiral, and rabble.

Eventually, there were only two students left. Eli McMaken of St. Mary Catholic School and Tadzio Krukowski of St. Patrick Catholic School. The two battled for several rounds before Krukowski won the final round.

Krukowski was then presented a plaque for winning first place at the Williams County Spelling Bee, with McMaken also receiving a plaque for winning the runner-up spot. Each of the other contestants were also given a medal and certificate for earning their spot in the Bee.