Countywide Spelling Bee to be held February 6

Twenty two (22) students, representing Knox County’s public and private K-8 schools, will soon compete for the title of best speller in Knox County. The winner will also represent the county at the annual Kentucky Derby Spelling Bee to be held this spring.

The 2013 Knox County Spelling Bee will be held at 10am on Wednesday, February 6, at the Knox County Board of Education Annex in Barbourville.  Registration will be held from 9:30am to 9:55am.

Students competing at the countywide spelling bee qualified after winning the title of best speller or runner-up at their school earlier this year.  The spelling bee is open to all students grades kindergarten through eighth.

Those qualifying for this year’s county spelling bee, and the schools they represent, are listed below:

School Participants
Barbourville Independent Cameron McHargue (Winner) and Clay Mills (Runner-up)
Central Elementary Emily Mills (Winner) and Cameron Bargo (Runner-up)
Dewitt Elementary Dustin “Luke” Mills (Winner) and Dylon Baker (Runner-up)
Flat Lick Elementary Savannah Gray (Winner) and Brendan King (Runner-up)
Girdler Elementary Braden Isom (Winner) and Jacob Hall (Runner-up)
GR Hampton Elementary Abram Scott Mills (Winner) and Reaghan Jones (Runner-up)
Lay Elementary Mitchell Buchanan (Winner) and Thomas Jackson (Runner-up)
Lynn Camp Elementary James Hatmaker (Winner) and Kaitlyn Vincent (Runner-up)
Knox County Middle Tyler Cox (Winner) and Devonte Valentine (Runner-up)
Lynn Camp Middle Lauren Tipton (Winner) and Christian Pippin (Runner-up)
St. Camillus Academy Abel Abraham (Winner) and Hannah Jawed (Runner-up)

The county winner will advance to the Kentucky Derby Festival Spelling Bee to be held at the PNC Club at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium in Louisville on March 9th.

Judges for the Knox County Spelling Bee will be Harrison Davis and Nancy Hampton, former educators in the Knox County Schools, and Janet Jones, assistant at Barbourville-Knox County Tourism Commission.  Karl Wallhausser, English professor at Union College, will serve as the pronouncer.  Knox County Schools’ Public Relations Director Frank Shelton is coordinator.

The Knox County Board of Education is the primary sponsor of the annual county spelling bee and will provide 1st and 2nd place plaques to the top spellers and trophies to all participants.

The GFWC/KFWC Barbourville Junior Woman’s Study Club will provide lunch and refreshments for those in attendance, the Kentucky Farm Bureau, Knox County office (Scott Payne), will provide a gift for each participant.

For more information contact Frank Shelton, coordinator, at (606)546-8911.