What to know about the Canton Repository's 77th annual regional spelling bee
JACKSON TWP. – The Canton Repository will host its 77th annual regional Spelling Bee on Saturday at Kent State University at Stark's Conference Center.
The winning speller earns an expenses-paid trip to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee that will be held from May 28 to June 2 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. More than 200 spellers are expected to compete in the national competition, which will be nationally televised.
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Here’s what to know about this year’s regional spelling bee:
Who is competing in the Repository Regional Spelling Bee?
The regional bee will feature 37 students – 20 girls and 17 boys – from Carroll, Holmes, Stark and Tuscarawas counties. The students range from age 10 to age 14 and represent 27 public, six private and four parochial schools.
How did the spellers qualify?
They each won their school’s spelling bee. The winning words at the school bees included: unacknowledged, pistons, constant, leprosy, address, query, churned, contralto, bovines, potpourri, probably, python, watermelon, noticeably, deign, batten, emigrate, blasphemous, Angola, enterprising, provocation, doppelganger, membrane, juror, maneuverable, vesuvian, locomotion, covenant, handkerchief, engagement, mechanic, defunct, configuration and acrid.
Seminary was the winning word in three of the school spelling bees.
Can I come Saturday?
The regional bee isn’t open to the general public, but you can join if you know one of the competitors. Each competitor is permitted to bring two guests to see them take the stage.
You also can read coverage about Saturday’s spelling bee at CantonRep.com or in Monday’s printed Canton Repository.
Who are the spelling bee judges and the pronouncer?
This year’s judges are Charita Goshay, columnist at The Canton Repository; Robert Sturr, assistant dean of academic affairs and associate professor of English at Kent State University at Stark; and Chris Schillig, English teacher at Alliance City Schools.
Stephen E. Neaderhiser, assistant professor of English at Kent State University at Stark, will once again serve as the pronouncer.
What was last year’s winning word?
Julianne Liliestedt, 11, of Canton Country Day School won last year’s regional bee in the 30th round by correctly spelling the word neolithic.
Have any of the regional winners ever won the national spelling bee?
Yes, the regional bee has produced two national Scripps National Spelling Bee champions.
Kim Calvin of Avondale School won the national spelling bee in 1949 and Sandra Owen of Sugar Creek Township’s Justus School won in 1957.
Reach Kelli at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com.
On Twitter: @kweirREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton Repository's 77th annual regional spelling bee is Saturday
