By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Thirty-five students from schools in Crawford, Richland, and Morrow counties competed against each other Thursday night in a spelling bee held at Mid-Ohio Education Service Center in Mansfield.
Shelby sixth grader Carmen Devito finished in first place spelling the word analogize after the six other contestants were ousted in the fifth round. After the champion spelled her last word, those six contestants eliminated in round five competed against each other for second place with Lexington sixth grader Tucker Schurig finishing second.
Devito explained how she prepared for the spelling bee.
“Shelby had practice after school, we had two for this and a few for the Richland County bee,” Devito said, “Plus my mom helped me study so I felt very prepared.”
Crawford County had 11 students in the event, with Caleb Strack and Regin Kuehlman of Galion along with Wynford’s Daniel Kurek lasting into the fourth round.
Kurek, who finished as runner-up in the Crawford County Spelling Bee, was proud of his performance in the spelling bee.
“It was an honor to be there and I was very happy with how I did, I couldn’t be happier,” Kurek said.
While finishing in the fourth round Kurek hopes to compete in a few more spelling bee’s before he is finished.
“I hope I can continue doing this for years to come,” Kurek said.
The second and third rounds were the most difficult as 18 of the 35 students were eliminated during these rounds. The fourth round, which saw the last three Crawford County students fall, had eight eliminations.
Galion High School guidance counselor and English teacher Tena Eyster was the pronouncer for the event.