Friday, March 29, 2024

Park City’s Justin Bursik is this year’s Stillwater County Spelling Bee winner. and Rapelje’s Carlee Blodgett (left) is the runner-up.

Park City speller wins County Spelling Bee

After winning classroom and school spelling bees, twenty-four of the county’s best spellers gathered in the Columbus High School cafeteria on March 4 to compete for the opportunity to represent Stillwater County in the Treasure State Spelling Bee on March 21 in Billings.
Spellers ranging from fifth to eighth graders battled their way through the familiar and unfamiliar, conquering physique, bambino, rucksack, and behoove, but tripping over wiseacre, obstinate, roughhewn and mahimahi.
Six rounds later, two remained. Kahuna stumped Carlee Blodgett of Rapelje. Park City’s Justin Bursik then correctly spelled filament, followed by artichoke to clinch the title. Blodgett will serve as alternate to the Treasure State competition.
Park City’s other spellers were Elexa Damm, Bailey Hedges, Serena Mohr, and Jim Wetmore. In addition to Blodgett, Chloe Keating represented Rapelje. Absarokee spellers were Ray LaMoure, Dillon Burkey, Kaiya Holmquist, and Colton Young. Claire Hatch represented Nye, and Reed Point spellers were Michael Myers and Jeremy Boatman. Columbus spellers Abby Teeters, Bailey Fiedler, Braydin Ellis, Jesslyn Sekora, Garrick Connor, Gunnar Swanson, Karsen Marjerison, Kelsey Westervelt, Megan Smith, and Haylee Meier rounded out the group.