Submitted article
Students across the country are competing in a variety of spelling activities and competitions. Galion Intermediate and Middle School students have been exercising their spelling bee skills for the chance to represent the Galion City School District in several competitions.
The first exercise was a spelling test given to students in grades four through eight in the district. The top spellers in each grade level were recognized in their respective building. The top spellers in each grade level included: Fourth Grade – Adam Geiger, Gavin Crim and William Yocum; Fifth Grade – Regin Kuehlman, Natalee Perkins and Alisha Cocklin; Sixth Grade – Hannah Daniels, Dakota Mackey and Jason Guthridge; Seventh Grade – Alan Evans, Caleb Strack and Abbie Higinbotham; Eighth Grade – Jan’et Lugo, Jalyn Oswald, Elizabeth Wolf and Ethan Jones
Following grade-level spelling tests, students were given a district-wide spelling test. From this competition, six Galion students were invited to compete in the Crawford County Spelling Bee at Crestline High School on Jan. 14. Caleb Strack (seventh grade), Regin Kuehlman (fifth grade), Alisha Cocklin (fifth grade), Alan Evans (seventh grade), Jalyn Oswald (eighth grade) and Abbie Higinbotham (eighth grade) were selected to represent the district in the County Spelling Bee. Caleb Strack and Regin Kuehlman were also selected to represent Galion in the Scripps Online Spelling Bee, which serves as the first step in the Scripps National Spelling Bee competition.
“Congratulations to all students in the Galion Intermediate and Middle Schools who performed well in the initial round of spelling tests,” Gifted Coordinator Leanna Giesige said. “Moving into higher spelling bee competitions requires students to move from memorizing a list to learning the rules behind spelling.”
Regin Kuehlman and Caleb Strack were the top Galion City School District finishers in the Crawford County Spelling Bee and will advance to the Tri-County Spelling Bee. This event will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center in Mansfield Feb. 5.
“I want to commend our students for their great performance in the various spelling bee exercises and competitions,” Superintendent Mark Stefanik said. “I am excited to see how the district’s Tri-County Spelling Bee representatives perform against students from the region. I speak for the entire Galion City School District when I say good luck to Regin and Caleb!”
To learn more about the spelling bee program in the Galion City School District, contact Leanna Giesige at giesige.leanna@moesc.net.