Salem’s star spellers shine at spelling bee
The 2024 Salem City Spelling Bee was held Thursday morning with the 10 best spellers from Southeast Elementary and the junior high school competing to represent the city at the Columbiana County bee on March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
This year’s first runner-up Holly Harper, a seventh grader, battled with eventual winner Marissa Gatewood for four rounds from the tenth through the thirteenth, and will represent the Salem school district at the All-County bee March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The students who placed in the top six of the city bee will go on to represent the Salem School district at the 2024 Columbiana County Spelling Bee, and were awarded commemorative plaques. The students that placed seventh and eighth will be the first and second alternate, respectively. Pictured from left are second alternate Jayden Wang, eighth grade; third runner-up Ethan Cole, sixth grade; first alternate Hunter Frank, seventh grade; second runner-up Noah Rigby, fifth grade; fifth runner-up Harper Fadden, fifth grade; first runner up Holly Harper, seventh grade; fourth runner-up Trevor Bails, seventh grade; and 2024 Salem City Spelling Bee Winner Marissa Gatewood, seventh grade. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The students who placed in the top six of the city bee will go on to represent the Salem School district at the 2024 Columbiana County Spelling Bee, and were awarded commemorative plaques. The students that placed seventh and eighth will be the first and second alternate, respectively. Pictured from left are second alternate Jayden Wang, eighth grade; third runner-up Ethan Cole, sixth grade; first alternate Hunter Frank, seventh grade; second runner-up Noah Rigby, fifth grade; fifth runner-up Harper Fadden, fifth grade; first runner up Holly Harper, seventh grade; fourth runner-up Trevor Bails, seventh grade; and 2024 Salem City Spelling Bee Winner Marissa Gatewood, seventh grade. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The students who placed in the top six of the city bee will go on to represent the Salem School district at the 2024 Columbiana County Spelling Bee, and were awarded commemorative plaques. The students that placed seventh and eighth will be the first and second alternate, respectively. Pictured from left are second alternate Jayden Wang, eighth grade; third runner-up Ethan Cole, sixth grade; first alternate Hunter Frank, seventh grade; second runner-up Noah Rigby, fifth grade; fifth runner-up Harper Fadden, fifth grade; first runner up Holly Harper, seventh grade; fourth runner-up Trevor Bails, seventh grade; and 2024 Salem City Spelling Bee Winner Marissa Gatewood, seventh grade. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The winner of the 2024 city spelling bee, Marissa Gatewood, a seventh grader, outlasted 19 other gifted spellers for 13 rounds, correctly spelling the word “freewheeling” to cement her victory, and is one of six spellers and two alternates that will represent the Salem City School District at the Columbiana County bee March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Seventh Grader Hunter Frank, last year’s fifth runner-up, will serve as Salem’s first alternate at the Columbiana County bee on March 2, after being eliminated second in the sixth round, unsuccessfully spelling “hypocaust.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Seventh Grader Hunter Frank, last year’s fifth runner-up, will serve as Salem’s first alternate at the Columbiana County bee on March 2, after being eliminated second in the sixth round, unsuccessfully spelling “hypocaust.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Seventh Grader Hunter Frank, last year’s fifth runner-up, will serve as Salem’s first alternate at the Columbiana County bee on March 2, after being eliminated second in the sixth round, unsuccessfully spelling “hypocaust.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The 2024 Salem City bee began with speller Addison Keels and the word “tunic.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
As the fifth round began, the final nine competitors consolidated into a single row before resuming competition with the word centrifuge. Pictured from left are Jayden Wang, eighth grade; Noah Rigby, fifth grade; Holly Harper, seventh grade; Trevor Bails, seventh grade; McKayLynn Cox, sixth grade; Hunter Frank, seventh grade; Ethan Cole, sixth grade; Marissa Gatewood, seventh grade; and Harper Fadden, fifth grade. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The seventh round began with only the bee’s final five competitors remaining and saw no eliminations beginning with Noah Rigby correctly spelling the word “validates.” Pictured from left are Junior High Principal Matt Ziegler; Noah Rigby, fifth grade; Holly Harper, seventh grade; Trevor Bails, seventh grade; Ethan Cole, sixth grade; and Marissa Gatewood, seventh grade. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The ninth round saw only the competition’s final three competitors remaining, beginning with the word “dispersal.” Pictured from left are Holly Harper, seventh grade; Marissa Gatewood, seventh grade; and Noah Rigby, fifth grade. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The final two competitors of the 2024 Salem City Spelling Bee were seventh graders Holly Harper, left, and Marissa Gatewood, who competed from round 10 through 13 prior to Gatewood’s ultimate victory at the conclusion of the 13th round, correctly spelling the word “freewheeling.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The final two competitors of the 2024 Salem City Spelling Bee were seventh graders Holly Harper, left, and Marissa Gatewood, who competed from round 10 through 13 prior to Gatewood’s ultimate victory at the conclusion of the 13th round, correctly spelling the word “freewheeling.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The final two competitors of the 2024 Salem City Spelling Bee were seventh graders Holly Harper, left, and Marissa Gatewood, who competed from round 10 through 13 prior to Gatewood’s ultimate victory at the conclusion of the 13th round, correctly spelling the word “freewheeling.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Fifth grader Harper Fadden is this year fifth runner-up and was the final of three eliminations in the sixth round, unsuccessfully spelling “leks,” and is one of six spellers and two alternates that will represent Salem at the county bee on March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Third runner-up Ethan Cole, a sixth grader, and last year’s first runner-up, was one of two candidates eliminated in the eighth round, unsuccessfully spelling “inadequate.” Cole will once again represent Salem at the county bee this year on March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Third runner-up Ethan Cole, a sixth grader, and last year’s first runner-up, was one of two candidates eliminated in the eighth round, unsuccessfully spelling “inadequate.” Cole will once again represent Salem at the county bee this year on March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Seventh grader Trevor Bails, last year’s third runner-up, was one of two spellers eliminated in the eighth round, unsuccessfully spelling “decentralize.” For the second straight year Bails will represent Salem at the county bee on March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Seventh grader Trevor Bails, last year’s third runner-up, was one of two spellers eliminated in the eighth round, unsuccessfully spelling “decentralize.” For the second straight year Bails will represent Salem at the county bee on March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The 2024 Salem City Spelling Bee was held Thursday morning with the 10 best spellers from Southeast Elementary and the junior high school competing to represent the city at the Columbiana County bee on March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
This year’s first runner-up Holly Harper, a seventh grader, battled with eventual winner Marissa Gatewood for four rounds from the tenth through the thirteenth, and will represent the Salem school district at the All-County bee March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The students who placed in the top six of the city bee will go on to represent the Salem School district at the 2024 Columbiana County Spelling Bee, and were awarded commemorative plaques. The students that placed seventh and eighth will be the first and second alternate, respectively. Pictured from left are second alternate Jayden Wang, eighth grade; third runner-up Ethan Cole, sixth grade; first alternate Hunter Frank, seventh grade; second runner-up Noah Rigby, fifth grade; fifth runner-up Harper Fadden, fifth grade; first runner up Holly Harper, seventh grade; fourth runner-up Trevor Bails, seventh grade; and 2024 Salem City Spelling Bee Winner Marissa Gatewood, seventh grade. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The students who placed in the top six of the city bee will go on to represent the Salem School district at the 2024 Columbiana County Spelling Bee, and were awarded commemorative plaques. The students that placed seventh and eighth will be the first and second alternate, respectively. Pictured from left are second alternate Jayden Wang, eighth grade; third runner-up Ethan Cole, sixth grade; first alternate Hunter Frank, seventh grade; second runner-up Noah Rigby, fifth grade; fifth runner-up Harper Fadden, fifth grade; first runner up Holly Harper, seventh grade; fourth runner-up Trevor Bails, seventh grade; and 2024 Salem City Spelling Bee Winner Marissa Gatewood, seventh grade. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The students who placed in the top six of the city bee will go on to represent the Salem School district at the 2024 Columbiana County Spelling Bee, and were awarded commemorative plaques. The students that placed seventh and eighth will be the first and second alternate, respectively. Pictured from left are second alternate Jayden Wang, eighth grade; third runner-up Ethan Cole, sixth grade; first alternate Hunter Frank, seventh grade; second runner-up Noah Rigby, fifth grade; fifth runner-up Harper Fadden, fifth grade; first runner up Holly Harper, seventh grade; fourth runner-up Trevor Bails, seventh grade; and 2024 Salem City Spelling Bee Winner Marissa Gatewood, seventh grade. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The winner of the 2024 city spelling bee, Marissa Gatewood, a seventh grader, outlasted 19 other gifted spellers for 13 rounds, correctly spelling the word “freewheeling” to cement her victory, and is one of six spellers and two alternates that will represent the Salem City School District at the Columbiana County bee March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Seventh Grader Hunter Frank, last year’s fifth runner-up, will serve as Salem’s first alternate at the Columbiana County bee on March 2, after being eliminated second in the sixth round, unsuccessfully spelling “hypocaust.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Seventh Grader Hunter Frank, last year’s fifth runner-up, will serve as Salem’s first alternate at the Columbiana County bee on March 2, after being eliminated second in the sixth round, unsuccessfully spelling “hypocaust.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Seventh Grader Hunter Frank, last year’s fifth runner-up, will serve as Salem’s first alternate at the Columbiana County bee on March 2, after being eliminated second in the sixth round, unsuccessfully spelling “hypocaust.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The 2024 Salem City bee began with speller Addison Keels and the word “tunic.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
As the fifth round began, the final nine competitors consolidated into a single row before resuming competition with the word centrifuge. Pictured from left are Jayden Wang, eighth grade; Noah Rigby, fifth grade; Holly Harper, seventh grade; Trevor Bails, seventh grade; McKayLynn Cox, sixth grade; Hunter Frank, seventh grade; Ethan Cole, sixth grade; Marissa Gatewood, seventh grade; and Harper Fadden, fifth grade. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The seventh round began with only the bee’s final five competitors remaining and saw no eliminations beginning with Noah Rigby correctly spelling the word “validates.” Pictured from left are Junior High Principal Matt Ziegler; Noah Rigby, fifth grade; Holly Harper, seventh grade; Trevor Bails, seventh grade; Ethan Cole, sixth grade; and Marissa Gatewood, seventh grade. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The ninth round saw only the competition’s final three competitors remaining, beginning with the word “dispersal.” Pictured from left are Holly Harper, seventh grade; Marissa Gatewood, seventh grade; and Noah Rigby, fifth grade. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The final two competitors of the 2024 Salem City Spelling Bee were seventh graders Holly Harper, left, and Marissa Gatewood, who competed from round 10 through 13 prior to Gatewood’s ultimate victory at the conclusion of the 13th round, correctly spelling the word “freewheeling.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The final two competitors of the 2024 Salem City Spelling Bee were seventh graders Holly Harper, left, and Marissa Gatewood, who competed from round 10 through 13 prior to Gatewood’s ultimate victory at the conclusion of the 13th round, correctly spelling the word “freewheeling.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
The final two competitors of the 2024 Salem City Spelling Bee were seventh graders Holly Harper, left, and Marissa Gatewood, who competed from round 10 through 13 prior to Gatewood’s ultimate victory at the conclusion of the 13th round, correctly spelling the word “freewheeling.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Fifth grader Harper Fadden is this year fifth runner-up and was the final of three eliminations in the sixth round, unsuccessfully spelling “leks,” and is one of six spellers and two alternates that will represent Salem at the county bee on March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Third runner-up Ethan Cole, a sixth grader, and last year’s first runner-up, was one of two candidates eliminated in the eighth round, unsuccessfully spelling “inadequate.” Cole will once again represent Salem at the county bee this year on March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Third runner-up Ethan Cole, a sixth grader, and last year’s first runner-up, was one of two candidates eliminated in the eighth round, unsuccessfully spelling “inadequate.” Cole will once again represent Salem at the county bee this year on March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Seventh grader Trevor Bails, last year’s third runner-up, was one of two spellers eliminated in the eighth round, unsuccessfully spelling “decentralize.” For the second straight year Bails will represent Salem at the county bee on March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
Seventh grader Trevor Bails, last year’s third runner-up, was one of two spellers eliminated in the eighth round, unsuccessfully spelling “decentralize.” For the second straight year Bails will represent Salem at the county bee on March 2. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)
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SALEM -- Salem's star spellers shined in the annual city spelling bee Thursday morning.
This year's bee, as always, was comprised of 20 spellers, 10 each from the junior high school and Southeast Elementary, with the final six spellers continuing on to represent the Salem School District at the Columbiana County Spelling Bee on March 2. After a hard-fought 13 rounds, and nearly an hour and 20 minutes of continuous spelling, seventh grader Marissa Gatewood won the bee, correctly spelling the word "freewheeling."
Gatewood's victory was hard fought, competing with first runner-up Holly Harper, seventh grade, since the 10th round. Prior to the showdown, Gatewood outlasted three of last year's finalists, including last year's third runner-up Trevor Bails (seventh grade), fifth runner-up Hunter Frank (seventh grade) and first runner-up Ethan Cole (sixth grade), who were named fourth runner-up, first alternate, and third runner-up, respectively, in this year's competition.
The bee began with a practice round to help students to shake off any nerves prior to the first elimination round, and participants were able to request a word be repeated, defined, used in a sentence, place of origin and what part of speech the word was. From the seventh round on spellers were challenged with words that they had not had the opportunity to study prior to the start of the bee, drawn from the unabridged dictionary.
The competition began in earnest with Addison Skeels (sixth grade) and the word "tunic." The first round proved vicious, with five students eliminated, a full quarter of the field. From there eliminations slowed, with three in round two, one in round three, two in round four, one in round five, three in round six, two in round eight, and a single elimination in round nine to leave the final two competing for rounds 10 through 13. Round seven proved to be an outlier, as the only round with zero eliminations prior to Gatewood and Harper's four round standoff.
In addition to Gatewood and Harper, the district will be represented at the county bee by Noah Rigby (fifth grade), Ethan Cole (sixth grade), Trevor Bails (seventh grade) and Harper Fadden (fifth grade), who placed second, third, fourth and fifth runner-up, respectively, with Hunter Frank (seventh grade) and Jayden Wang (eighth grade) as first and second alternate, respectively.
The county bee will be held at the Beaver Local Schools Auditorium 9:30 a.m. March 2.