WWW arkcity.net

By MICK WATTS
Traveler Staff Writer
mick@arkcity.net

Alec Trent, an eighth grader from Ark City , took first place this year in the County Spelling Bee at the Middle School in Ark City Wednesday.

A crowd of fifty or so parents and friends attended the bee at Arkansas City Middle School..

The tension was palpable before spelling bee moderator Suzanne Moore read the official rules to the participants. "Welcome spellers, a. The pronouncer gives the contestant a word, the contestant may also pronounce the word before spelling it...." and on it went as audience members eyes glassed over on hearing the official rules explained in detail.

The kids on stage just wanted to get on with it There were nineteen contestants from five different towns in Cowley County. Ark City, Burden, Dexter, Udall, and Winfield were represented this year. Sixteen boys and three girls participated. The students ranged from the 3rd to 8th grade.

After the rules were read there was a warm up round and then they got down to business. The action was much more fast paced than one might imagine. By 9:50 the original 19 participants had been winnowed down to six, and by 10 a.m. Cowley County had a winner.

The top four winners this year were Alec Trent Ark City, 1st place Heath Satterlee, 2nd place, Kai Mc Clure, 3rd place, and Travis Wham, Burden 4th place. The word Alec Trent spelled correctly to claim the title was 'vaccinate'.

Alec has been 'in training' for the event for some time. Spelling Bee coordinator, Jan Krisik said, "Alec has worked hard all year and this has been his goal since the first week of school." She went on to say that Alec is a voracious reader and that he has been mentored by teacher Jeff Shaw. That two practice spelling words frequently.

Alec will go on to the regional contest being in Great bend this year, sponsored by the Great Bend Tribune. When asked about how he felt about going to Great Bend and stepping up to the next level, Alec's response was that his only concern was "getting a ride up there."

He is ready to go, and he's looking forward to the challenge. His end goal is to go all the way to the nationals. All of this year's participants worked hard to make it to the county level.

Judges Pam Barbour, Chris Squires and Shelly Stinson, along with moderator Suzzane Moore, and event coordinator Jan Krizik also deserve to be credited for their efforts in making sure the event happened.

Listed below are the students who participated in this year's event: Ark City; Alec Trent, Nathan Rosola, Alyssa Marr, Kylee Johnson; Burden: Travis Wham, Skylar Frehse, Riley Blair; Dexter: Nathan Marker, Caitlyn Martin, Nathan Marker, Alex Perrigo; Udall: Roy Tannehill, Heath Satterlee, Dalton Loos, Wyatt Housdshell; Winfield: Brendan Bailey, Carter Humphreys, Kai McClure.