Students who were the best s-p-e-l-l-e-r-s in their school will face off for the Johnson County title at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Creekside Elementary School.
The 14 contestants in third through sixth grade come from the Clark-Pleasant, Indian Creek, Center Grove and Franklin schools, with each student qualifying by winning the contest in their respective schools. Edinburgh and Greenwood schools had the opportunity to compete, but did not hold school spelling bees.
Tuesday will mark the first countywide spelling bee since 2019, although individual schools have held competitions in the interim. Some schools such as Union Elementary School got creative to offer a bee. The school held a virtual spelling bee in March 2020, with students competing over Zoom.
Lilly Allen won the last Johnson County Spelling Bee four years ago, when she was a fifth grader at Greenwood’s Isom Elementary School.
With sponsorship from the Johnson County Community Foundation, which helped pay for trophies, ribbons and advertising for the event, the bee is once again possible, Creekside Elementary School Principal Mark Heiden said.
Creekside Elementary School has had two countywide winners since the school opened in 1998, with Andy Greenwell winning in 2005 and Jennifer McColpin earning first place in 2015, he said.
“After the pandemic, it kind of paused it and it never started back up,” Heiden said. “Spelling bees are a longtime school tradition where kids compete with their spelling abilities. It’s a different area from athletics or fine arts. It’s really fun, some of our kids who get into spelling love it because they can show off their skills.”
IF YOU GO
Johnson County Spelling Bee
Where: Creekside Elementary School, 700 E. State Road 44, Franklin.
When: 6 p.m. Tuesday
Cost: Free
Leaders from Johnson County Community Foundation wanted to help revive the Johnson County Spelling Bee because of its positive effect on local youth, said Kim Casting, the organization’s vice president of development.
“I think it’s another event kids can get excited about and get recognition for,” Casting said. “Sometimes the academic side doesn’t always get that much attention so it’s nice to be a part of that.”
The Spelling Bee will be single-elimination, meaning students won’t get another chance if they misspell a word. That changes in the final round, when if a finalist misspells a word, their opponent will get a chance to spell that same word correctly and then spell another word to clinch the title. If that opponent misspells also, the final round continues, said Katie Smith, principal of Union Elementary School, who is organizing the Bee.
The two finalists will each get trophies, and all participants will receive a ribbon for qualifying for the county contest. Casting, Franklin Community School Corporation Superintendent David Clendening, Indian Creek Assistant Superintendent Andrea Perry and Johnson Memorial Health CEO David Dunkle will serve as judges, while Custer Baker Intermediate School Principal Cheryl Moran will be the word caller, Smith said.
“It’s an experience and opportunity for kids to be successful and get praise in different ways, whether its academics or athletics, it gives them the opportunity to shine at something they’re good at,” she said. “It’s good for kids and just having the skill of spelling is a good skill they will use for the rest of their lives.”
The Johnson County Spelling Bee is free to attend, and seating is first come, first served.
Johnson County Spelling Bee contestants:
- Makenzie Anness, fifth grade, Clark Elementary School
- Paxton Baker, fifth grade, Pleasant Grove Elementary School
- Susan Cummings, fourth grade, Union Elementary School
- Charlie DeRosa, fifth grade, Grassy Creek Elementary School
- Zuri Fernandez, fourth grade, Break-O-Day Elementary School
- Cayce Humphrey, third grade, Creekside Elementary School
- Emberley Martin, sixth grade, Custer Baker Intermediate School
- Rhett McManus, fourth grade, Webb Elementary School
- Brysen Mears, third grade, Needham Elementary School
- Eniola Raji, third grade, Pleasant Crossing Elementary School
- Enrique Rodriguez, fourth grade, Maple Grove Elementary School
- Jaelynn Skinner, fifth grade, Indian Creek Intermediate School
- Emerson Truax, fourth grade, Whiteland Elementary School
- Amy Woodard, fifth grade, Sugar Grove Elementary School
Source: Union Elementary School Principal Katie Smith
