The annual Knox County Spelling Bee is set to take place on Wednesday, February 24, in Barbourville.
The Bee showcases the top spellers from elementary and middle schools across Knox County, representing both the Knox County Public Schools and the Barbourville Independent Schools.
The event is hosted annually by the county school system with local businesses helping to sponsor award prizes for the contestants and winners. This year’s sponsors include Knox County Farm Bureau, Barbourville Junior Woman’s Study Club, L&N Federal Credit Union, and Forcht Bank.
The winner from the county Bee will represent Knox at the 2016 Kentucky Derby Festival Spelling Bee scheduled for Saturday, March 5, 11am at the Bomhard Theater, located within the Kentucky Center for the Arts, in Louisville.
Competing for the title of Knox County’s top speller are:
| School Name | First Place School Winner | Second Place School Runner-Up |
| Barbourville Elem | Gavin Gibbs | April Roark |
| Barbourville Middle | Paige Smith | Miranda Vaughn |
| Central Elem | Amelia J. Napier | Terry D. Jones |
| Dewitt | Jonathan Ethan Brown | Martina Mills |
| Flat Lick | Caylan Mills | Cory Partin |
| Girdler | Logan Callihan | Riley Smith |
| GR Hampton | Cody Mills | Sienna Mills |
| Jesse D Lay | Blake Ledford | Jaden Taylor |
| Knox County Middle | Laura Beth Mills | Jerod Smith |
| Lynn Camp Elem | Presley Bunch | Abigail Disney |
| Lynn Camp Middle | Dylan Wells | Haley Partin |