This year’s bee lasted eight standard rounds, with four special rounds over the course of more than an hour. The champion and the first three runners-up are moving on to represent the district at the Columbiana County Spelling Bee on March 7 at Beaver Local High School. 

This year’s bee was won by eighth grader Ryan Heim, who successfully spelled “monolithic” and “coven” in succession during rounds seven and eight to claim the title of champion. Heim will be joined at the county bee by first runner-up Peyton Nichols (fifth grade), second runner-up Laim Gaul (eighth grade), and third runner-up Nathaniel Husk (sixth grade). 

The action got underway immediately this year with seven competitors eliminated in the first round with an elimination on the first word of the spelling bee: “chair.” The pace of eliminations increased in round two with 12 eliminations, before tapering off with four eliminations in round three, and three eliminations in round three and four special rounds required to declare Husk the third runner-up. There were no further eliminations until the seventh round when the final two eliminations occurred, with Heim successfully spelling the final word alone in round eight to cement his victory.