Schools

Valley View Students Excel at Will County Spelling Bee

Students competed Thursday night at Lewis University in Romeoville.

Submitted by Valley View School District.

Valley View School District 365U once again proved its students are among the best spellers in Will County by placing four 8th grade spellers in the top 13 at the annual Will County Spelling Bee Thursday night.

Defending County champion Kim Belser of Humphrey Middle School, who competed in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. last year, finished fourth at this year’s county bee, missing on the word “striated” in the 17th round.

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Lukancic’s Elizabeth Zahorick tied for 5th place, dropping out in the 15th round on the word “nonplus.” Rory Richards of A. Vito Martinez tied for 8th place, missing “junta” in round nine. And Edward Owusu of Jane Addams tied for 13th, going out in the 6th round on “hedonism.”

Belser, who had gone 195 rounds over the past two years at the school, district and county levels without missing a word, correctly spelled behest, spherical, prosaic, flamboyant, antipasto, hydrology, metaphor, inselberg, poignant, maelstrom, gynarchy, roodebok, mozzarella, fidgety and hermetic.

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Zahorick correctly spelled spectrum, aspen, asterisk, megalopolis, autobahn, staccato, doctrinaire, adagio, gingham, dachshund, ocelot, segue, coloratura and dichotomy.

Richards was perfect on deluxe, adobe, hawthorn, gestapo, babushka, schloss, eulogy and chimichanga.

Owusu spelled canary, hosta, buccaneer and Mikado.

In all, 48 spellers from middle schools and junior highs throughout Will County competed. Students from Homer Junior High, Summit Hill Junior High and St. Joseph School in Manhattan finished in the top three.


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