Defending Bee champ is back for more
BETHANY BLITZ/Press File Joseph Moran is pleasantly surprised as a cannon blasts streamers right after he is announced the North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee champion in this March 19, 2017, photo. Joseph, now a sixth-grader, is once again competing in the regional bee when it returns Saturday to North Idaho College starting at 9 a.m. Joseph and his little brother, fourth-grader Adam, are homeschooled students who will be up against 40 other students from Idaho’s five northern counties, including other homeschoolers, private school students, public school students and charter students.
Northwest Expedition Academy third-grader Cadence Brumbaugh adjusts the microphone during the school's spelling bee earlier this year before she went on to compete in the district bee in January. The North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee starts at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Schuler Performing Arts Center on the North Idaho College Campus, where about 40 fifth-through-eighth-graders will compete for an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee at the end of May. (Courtesy photo)
By DEVIN WEEKS
Staff Writer
COEUR d’ALENE — The North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee returns for its 15th year on Saturday at North Idaho College, and with it come about 40 wonderful wordsmithing students.
Among the competitors is 2017's regional winner, North Idaho Home Educators Association homeschooler Joseph Moran. Joseph, of Hayden, was only in fifth grade when he won last year, his first time competing in the regional bee.
Joseph has been reviewing the list of spelling words "to make sure I stay fresh," he said. He's feeling more confident now that he knows what he's doing.
"I made it that far last year," he said Thursday. "I'm thinking, 'Now I have a lot more experience. I think I have a decent chance of making it to the finals.' I mean, why not?"
This year, the Moran household is on double duty. Joseph's little brother, fourth-grader Adam, will also be competing against the fourth-through-eighth-grade contestants.
"It's nice. It gives me someone else to practice with, someone to cheer on if I happen to misspell," Joseph said. "Or someone else to cheer me on, potentially."
"It's a little more nerve-racking to have two of them in there because they're competitive with each other, as boys can be," said mom Sally Moran, who added it's important to just do the best they can "and have it be a great sport."
Private, public, charter and homeschool students from nine districts in the five northern counties of Idaho will be vying for the spot as top speller, which comes with an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., and the chance to shine during the National Scripps Spelling Bee at the end of May. The Coeur d’Alene Press pays for the winner and an adult to go to D.C., while NIC continues to host the regional as it has done each of the previous 14 years.
Each contestant who has come this far has already won his or her respective grade level in district-qualifying bees held in public school districts as well as at homeschool and private school districts throughout North Idaho.
“Congratulations to those who qualified for the regional bee this year," said North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee coordinator Mindy Patterson. "It’s an amazing accomplishment."
Participants include:
Coeur d’Alene School District No. 271: Caren Silva, fourth grade, Dalton Elementary Ashlyn Craigie, fifth grade, Ramsey Elementary Carter Lingenfelter, sixth grade, Woodland Middle Riley Peite, seventh grade, Woodland Middle Elisabeth Edmonds, eighth grade, Lakes Magnet Middle
Charter School District: Emma Fisch, sixth grade, Coeur d’Alene Charter Thomas Smith, seventh grade, Coeur d’Alene Charter Andrew Mangini, eighth grade, Coeur d’Alene Charter
Private School District: Alyx Mathews, fourth grade, North Idaho Christian School Aiden Antal, fifth grade, Christian Center School Grace Priest, sixth grade, North Idaho Christian School Ethan Antal, seventh grade, Christian Center School Alyson Ward, eighth grade, North Idaho Christian School
Home School District: Adam Moran, fourth grade, NIHEA Home Schooler Caleb Welbaum, fifth grade, NIHEA Home Schooler Joseph Moran, sixth grade, NIHEA Home Schooler Abby McEwan, seventh grade, INCH Home Schooler Samuel Brannan, eighth grade, NIHEA Home Schooler
Boundary County School District No. 101: Ocean Blue, fourth grade, Valley View Elementary Elizabeth McCoy, fifth grade, Mount Hall Elementary Ana Chase, sixth grade, Boundary County Middle Morgan Moon, seventh grade, Boundary County Middle Camille Ussher, eighth grade, Boundary County Middle
Kellogg School District No. 391: Preston Graaskamp, fourth grade, Pinehurst Elementary Leevy Bush, fifth grade, Pinehurst Elementary Serenity Delgado, seventh grade, Kellogg Middle Marcus Parkins-Pugh, eighth grade, Kellogg Middle
Kootenai School District No. 274: Danielle Darrar, fourth grade, Harrison Elementary Travis Usdrowski, fifth grade, Harrison Elementary Liam Gentry, sixth grade, Kootenai Jr./Sr. High Tuesday Glessner, seventh grade, Kootenai Jr./Sr. High Matthew Rogers, eighth grade, Kootenai Jr./Sr. High
Lake Pend Oreille School District No. 84: Jack Baker, fourth grade, Kootenai Elementary Zachary Storaasli, fifth grade, Hope Elementary Nick Gaulrapp, sixth grade, Farmin-Stidwell Elementary Urielle Abad, seventh grade, Sandpoint Middle Syndie Miller, eighth grade, Sandpoint Middle
Wallace School District No. 393: Aubrey Birdsell, fourth grade, Silver Hills Elementary Madalee Phillips, fifth grade, Silver Hills Elementary Bradley Stutzke, sixth grade, Silver Hills Elementary Layla Burmeister, seventh grade, Wallace Jr./Sr. High Mason Chaffee, eighth grade, Wallace Jr./Sr. High