Belmont County 2023 Spelling Bee

Program Agenda

Welcome

Dr. Paul Gasparro, President, Belmont College

Invocation/Pledge of Allegiance

Mason Kiene, grade 5, ERCS Christian Schools Consortium

Opening Remarks & Presentation of Cover Design Winner

Lisa Burrell, Coordinator of Gifted Programs East Central Ohio ESC

Introduction of Spelling Bee Officials

Randy Lucas, Superintendent, East Central Ohio ESC

Introduction of Spelling Bee Participants & Practice Round

Amy Vavrock, Pronouncer

Explanation of Rules

Rachel Winters, Gifted Programs Coordinator East Central Ohio ESC

Special Request

Please … No applause or noise or Facetiming/livestreaming your child, quiet cell phones

THE SPELLING BEE

Presentation of Finalist Awards

Lisa Duvall, Associate Pronouncer

Randy Lucas, Superintendent of East Central Ohio, ESC

Lori Robson, Executive Director, East Central Ohio ESC

Presentation of Place Awards & Traveling Trophy

Lisa Duvall & Sponsors

The Times Leader - Perry Nardo, Regional Manager, and Joe Lovell, Special Events Coordinator

Todd Cover - President and CEO, Belmont Savings Bank

Mark Nicholson - EVP, Senior Lender, Belmont Savings Bank

Rich Silverio - Vice President, Mortgage Loan Officer, Belmont Savings Bank

Alicia Jordan – Marketing Director, Belmont Savings Bank

Jane Lucas - Branch Manager, Barnesville, Belmont Savings Bank

Rachel Dietrich - Branch Manager, St. Clairsville, Belmont Savings Bank

Courtney Smith – Branch Manager – Bellaire and Powhatan

Jennifer Merryman, Uniglobe Travel

Renee Dorsey, Airport Limousine Service

Jamie Bordas, Bordas & Bordas

Frank Papini, Ohio River Valley Elks

Randy Lucas, Superintendent, East Central Ohio Educational Service Center,

Lori Robson, Executive Director, East Central Ohio Educational Service Center

Lisa Burrell and Rachael Winters, Coordinators of Gifted Programs

Closing Remarks

Lisa Duvall

Benediction

Elizabeth Fulton Catholic Schools Consortium

Pronouncer: Amy Vavrock

Gifted Teacher, Bridgeport Exempted Village Schools

Associate Pronouncer: Lisa Duvall

Director of Referral and Community Partnerships

Fox Run Center for Children & Adolescents

Judge: Teresa Rice

Retired Teacher

Bellaire Local Schools

Lori Robson

Executive Director

East Central Ohio ESC

Angela Hicks

Curriculum Consultant

East Central Ohio ESC

Rules Judges: Lisa Burrell and Rachel Winters

Gifted Programs Coordinators

East Central Ohio ESC

Recorder & Protest Official Leslie Kosanovic

Curriculum Director

Bridgeport Exempted Village Schools

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Past Champions Last year’s winner Jacob Theaker

2022 Winner: Jacob Theaker, Martins Ferry City School District

2021 Winner: Lyrik Brown, Bridgeport Schools

2020 Winner: Tyler Harris, St. Mary’s Central, St. Clairsville

2019 Winner: Hannah Leach, Barnesville Middle School

2018 Winner: Linh Lee, St. Clairsville Schools

2017 Winner: Andrew Masciarelli, Bellaire Local Schools

2016 Winner: Chase Ake, St. John’s Bellaire

2015 Winner: Sadie McFarland, Union Local School District

2014 Winner: Justin Hamilton, Union Local School District

2013 Winner: Justin Hamilton, Union Local School District

2012 Winner: Marcus Clark, Martins Ferry City School District

2011 Winner: Natalie Cervelli, St. John Central, Bellaire

2010 Winner: AJ Feiock, Union Local School District

2009Winner: Reese Boyd, East Richland Christian Academy

2008 Winner: Lacey Ware, Union Local School District

2007 Winner: Lacey Ware, Union Local School District

2006 Winner: Brent Milovac, Bellaire Local School District

2005 Winner: Brent Milovac, Bellaire Local

2004 Winner: Eric Milovac, Bellaire Local

2003 Winner: Eric Milovac, Bellaire Local

2002 Winner: Ryan Kroflich, St. Joseph Central

2001 Winner: Melanie Kidder, Bellaire Local

2000 Winner: Michael Ondrick, Union Local

1999 Winner: Michael Ondrick, Union Local

1998 Winner: Megan Vetula, St. Clairsville

1997 Winner: Michael Ondrick, Union Local

1996 Winner: Megan Vetula, St. Clairsville

1995 Winner: Gwendolen Jackson, Bridgeport

1994 Winner: Sarah Dittoe, Union Local

1993 Winner: Adam Muretisch, St. Clairsville

1992 Winner: Mark Kish, Bellaire

1991 Winner: Alex Kish, Bellaire

1990 Winner: Anand Chokkavelu, St. Clairsville

1989 Winner: Emily Mountain, St. John Central, Bellaire

1988 Winner: Shawna Valigora, St. Clairsville

1987 Winner: Marianne Visser, Union Local

I am the 2022 Belmont County Spelling Bee Champion and getting the chance to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee was an awesome experience.

Day 1 started with Airport Limousine picking us up at 3:30 a.m. and taking my family and me to the Amtrak station in Pittsburgh. The train ride was a phenomenal experience because I had never ridden in a train before and it was way more comfortable than I thought it would be. There was even a dining car where we ate breakfast.

When we arrived in Washington D.C. we checked into the Gaylord National Resort. The hotel was beautiful and enormous. We checked out the surrounding area and walked to grab something to eat at Burger Fi. We then spent the rest of the evening touring Washington D.C. and seeing many of the monuments and memorials. We saw the White House, the Washington Monument, the World War l and World War ll Memorials, the Kore-

an Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.

Day 2 was Memorial Day and I stared the day out by getting checked into the bee. We decided to visit Arlington National Cemetery in the morning and to our surprise, the President of the United States was there for the National Memorial Day Observance ceremony. We attended the ceremony and it was really cool to have the chance to see the President in person. We headed back to the hotel for lunch and I met up with the other spellers. We were teamed up and we played book related games to win books that were to be donated to area schools. That evening was the opening ceremony for the bee and we got a picture with all the spellers on stage.

On Day 3 they bussed us to Planet Word, which was an interactive language museum. That afternoon was my time

to spell. I spelled my first round word correctly. The word was élan which means vigorous spirit or enthusiasm. The next round was a definition round and I was eliminated with the word discombobulated.

Day 4 we visited the American History Museum, The National Archives, The Capitol Building, Natural History Museum and the National Gallery of Art.

A note from the coordinators

Welcome to the 36th annual Belmont County Spelling Bee! It is truly an honor to be serving such a strong tradition. We continue to be impressed with the topnotch spellers we have in this area. The Bee has seen some changes over the years, but we are pleased to be continuing our association with Belmont College in St. Clairsville, Ohio again this year.

The Spelling Bee is a program that takes the cooperation and hard work of a lot of individuals to make it successful. The dedicated school coordinators from all over the county meet four times a year to make plans and preparations to make the best Bee possible for our student competitors. School coordinators also spend countless hours in their own home school districts planning and carrying out their Bees, then working with their students who move on to the county Bee. Our sponsors provide support and prizes that are unparalleled in this area; be sure to check out the lengthy list in the program. The students, along with the support of their parents, coaches, and friends, spend seemingly

endless hours studying works that many of us cannot even pronounce! If you have ever attended a Bee, you know what we mean.

The winner of our Belmont County Spelling Bee, along with winners from all of the other regional Bees across the nation, participates in a

trip to Washington, D. C., for the National Finals. What a memorable experience! This first-class trip includes everything from private shuttle service to Pittsburgh, to an Amtrak train ride to D. C., to luxurious accommodations, to the opportunity to spell in front of national TV cameras.

There is even a semi-formal awards banquet. The National Finals will be held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center located on the banks of Potomac River. This first-class resort boasts a spectacular 18-story glass atrium that offers guests sweeping views of the Poto-

mac River, Washington D.C., and Old Town Alexandria.

The experience for the winner and his/her group would never happen without sponsors like the Times Leader, Belmont Savings Bank, Uniglobe Travel, Airport Limousine Service, Bordas and Bordas, Belmont College, the Ohio River Elks, and the East Central Ohio Educational Service Center.

To each and every participant in the Bee, congratulations! You are all winners! True, only one person will walk away with the first place trophy, but you each have already achieved so much. To attempt to master the words in the Words of the Champions study booklet is a monumental task. To get up on stage in front of your peers, family, friends, and other supporters, is an undertaking not many people would attempt. Your drive, dedication, and spelling prowess are to be commended. You have every right to walk away from the County Bee with your head held high!

LISA BURRELL AND RACHEL WINTERS

Sponsors and Coordinators • Theaker

Continued from Page 5

PICTURED FROM left to right: Frank Papini from Martins Ferry Elks, last year’s winner Jacob Theaker from Martins Ferry, Darlene Ruch from Martins Ferry Elks, Lisa Burrell and Rachel Winters from ECOESC. BACK ROW, Rich Silverio from Belmont Savings Bank, Belmont College president Paul Gasparro, Alicia Jordon from Belmont Savings Bank and Joe Lovell Times Leader Special Events Coordinator. missing sponsors, Uniglobe Ohio Valley Travel, Bordas & Bordas Attorneys, Airport Limousine Service.

Day 5 we visited the Holocaust Museum and the Pentagon Memorial and then headed back to the hotel to see the final round of the Spelling Bee.

Day 6 was Friday and we went to the Smithsonian National Zoo. That evening they had closing ceremonies with a fancy dinner followed by a party with lots of entertainment. Meeting the other spellers was a good experience. I was amazed by not only how smart they were but many of them were also very talented. The last day we walked around the National Harbor and later headed home on the Amtrak.

I would like to thank the Times Leader, Belmont Savings Bank, Uniglobe Travel, Airport Limousine Service, Bordas & Bordas, Belmont College, Ohio River Valley Elks, and the East Central Ohio Educational Service Center for an amazing opportunity. I would also like to thank the Martins Ferry School District for all of their support and my spelling bee coordinator, Mrs.

- Wednesday, February 1, 2023 - 9

SEATED LEFT to right front row: Denise Leach(Barnesville),Carol Henderson-Drake(St. Clairsville), Heather Buckingham(Shadyside), Barbie McKeegan(MF), and Lisa Burrell ECOESC. Standing left to right: Ron Bober, Christine Smith(both Union Local), Josh Stope (St. John’s Academy), Linda Yourko (Martins Ferry Christian School) , Juanita Roxby (Christian Consortium), Rachel Winters ECOESC. Coordinators missing from the picture: Jennifer Kaczor - Bellaire Local Schools, Amy Vavrock - Bridgeport Exempted Village Schools, Beth Rushton - St. Clairsville Schools, Lisa Yoho - St. Mary Central, Martins Ferry (Catholic Schools Consortium), Sue Ogden - St. Mary Central, St. Clairsville (Catholic Schools Consortium).

1st Prize

2023 Prizes and Awards Protest Rule

• Trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the winner, one parent, and one teacher/coach.

• $500.00 Cash Prize

• First-Place Trophy

• Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online Certificate

• The Samuel Louis Sugarman Award

• Plaque with two winning words for school display

• Traveling Trophy for school display

• One-year subscription to the Britannica Online Premium

2nd Prize

• $250 Cash Prize

• Second Place Trophy

• Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition)

3rd Prize

• $150 Cash Prize

• Third-Place Trophy

4th Prize

• $100 Cash Prize

• Fourth-Place Trophy

• $50 Cash Prize

• Plaque

Artwork Winner

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Other Awards:

• All finalists finishing in places 5-18 will receive a certificate to be redeemed for a $50.00 cash prize compliments of Belmont Savings Bank.

• Bordas & Bordas is sponsoring the Fat Apple “Golden Ticket” awards for all finalists.

• All contestants will receive ribbons, certificates, & bee bobble heads.

• Amtrak travel is provided compliments of Uniglobe Travel.

• Ohio River Elks is sponsoring the bee bobble heads again this year.

• Shuttle service to Pittsburgh Amtrak station will be provided by Airport Limousine Service, Inc.

Official protest forms have been given to each contestant’s teacher/coach. Each contestant can have only one teacher/coach representing him/her. Any question relating to the spelling of a word should be referred to the protest official immediately in writing on the official protest form by the contestant’s teacher/coach. The teacher/ coach must be seated in the protest area, and he/she is the only representative of the contestant who is permitted to file a protest or be in this area. No protest will be entertained from the floor and/ or from any individual seeking to dislodge another speller from the competition. The deadline for filing a protest is before the contestant affected would have received his/ her next word had he/she stayed in the contest.

When only two spellers remain, an oral protest must be made immediately by the teacher/coach. The oral protest must be made before the speller in question has started to spell the word given to him/her. The teachers/ coaches may be seated at the protest table when there are only two spellers remaining in the contest.

2022-2023 Spelling Bee Participants

5th Grade

Age: 11

Parents: John and Ashley Farrier

Year in the District Bee: 1

Year in the County Bee: 1

6th Grade

Age: 11

Parents: Noah & Jessica Kuprowicz

Year in the District Bee: 2 Year in the County Bee: 2

6th Grade Age: 11

Parents: Amanda and Michael Schnelle Year in the District Bee: 1 Year in the County Bee: 1

8th Grade Age: 15

Parents: Jamie Bachie and Justin Beck

Year in the District Bee: 4 Year in the County Bee: 4

7th Grade

Age: 12

Parents: Alisa & Sean McCrate

Year in the District Bee: 3 Year in the County Bee: 2

7th Grade

Age: 12

Parents: Ron and Tracy Bober Year in the District Bee: 2 Year in the County Bee: 1

8th Grade Age: 14

Parents: Jennifer and Rich Theaker

Year in the District Bee: 3 Year in the County Bee: 3

7th Grade

Age: 12

Parents: Stacie & Jeff Finnicum

Year in the District Bee: 3 Year in the County Bee: 3

7th Grade

Age: 12

Parents: Brent and Kristin Volan

Year in the District Bee: 3 Year in the County Bee: 2

8th Grade Age: 14

Parents: Travis and Kelli Wehr

Year in the District Bee: 3 Year in the County Bee: 1

5th Grade

Age: 11

Parents: Elizabeth and Scott Jackson

Year in the District Bee: 2

Year in the County Bee: 1

8th Grade Age: 14

Parents: Matt & Erika Jarrett

Year in the District Bee: 3 Year in the County Bee: 1

5th Grade Age: 10

Parents: Robert Palmer and Gwen Palmer

Year in the District Bee: 1 Year in the County Bee: 1

8th Grade Age: 14

Parents: Josef & Meredith Meholovitch

Year in the District Bee: 3 Year in the County Bee: 3

6th Grade Age: 11

Parents: Mary McCracken and Robert McCracken

Year in the District Bee: 3 Year in the County Bee: 2

7th Grade Age: 12

Parents: Benjamin L. Fulton and Alzbeta Fulton

Year in the District Bee: 2 Year in the County Bee: 1

Schools Consortium

7th Grade

Age: 13

Parents: Robert and Robin Evans

Year in the District Bee: 2

Year in the County Bee: 2

8th Grade Age: 13

Parents: Casey and Dan Utter

Year in the District Bee: 4 Year in the County Bee: 4

5) Liv McCrate Barnesville Exempted School District

9) Bryden Volan Martins Ferry City Schools

17) Gracie Evans Christian

2) Brett Kuprowicz Bridgeport Exempted Village Schools

16) Elizabeth Fulton Catholic Schools Consortium

12) Mason Jarrett Shadyside Local Schools

11) Adeline Jackson Christian Schools Consortium

1) Paisley Farrier

Bellaire Local Schools

18) Clay Utter Union Local School District

13) Shekinah Palmer St. Clairsville Middle School

15) Hannah McCracken Catholic Schools Consortium

6) Olivia Bober Union Local

4) Jaden Beck Bridgeport Exempted Village Schools

7) Jacob Theaker Martins Ferry City Schools

3) Greigh Schnelle St. Clairsville Middle School

14) Chloe Meholovitch Shadyside Local School

10) Ryland Wehr Barnesville Exempted School District

8) Drake Finnicum Bellaire Local School District