Spelling Bee declares district champion

By Harry Loomis

Saturday afternoon, the northwest Missouri regional spelling bee took place at emPowerU.

Twenty-six students in the area participated in Saturday’s competition, with the winner advancing to the national competition on Memorial Day weekend.

While some success can be based on luck of the draw, typically the district is well-represented at the national stage.

“Success always depends on the word you get because if you know the word, it’s easy,” said Karen Heyde-Lipanovich, moderator of the spelling bee. “our kids do really, really well when they go to the bee. We’ve had really good success.”

The winning student was Eloise Wattenberger, an eighth-grader from Hamilton who won by spelling the word “corral.” Her key to success was constant preparation.

“They gave us a list of words to study,” Wattenberger said. “I looked over them every night.”

The spelling bee can be high stress, as competitors are eliminated after one mistake. Amidst pressure, the students all appeared to be poised and calm.

“It’s a lot to deal with,” Heyde-Lipanovich said. “I love spelling, but I like having the words in front of me. And they have to do it without the words in front of them. A lot of the kids have ways that they get rid of their nerves before they start spelling. Whatever it takes for them to get ready for the competition, they’re up for it.”