Region's top spellers compete in regional bee
Joseph Moran is pleasantly surprised as a cannon blasts streamers right after he is announced the North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee champion in this March 19, 2017 photo. Joseph, now a sixth-grader, is once again competing in the regional bee when it returns Saturday to North Idaho College starting at 9 a.m. Joseph and his little brother, fourth-grader Adam, are homeschooled students who will be up against 40 other students from Idaho’s five northern counties, including other homeschoolers, private school students, public school students and charter students. (BETHANY BLITZ/File)
Northwest Expedition Academy third-grader Cadence Brumbaugh adjusts the microphone during the school's spelling bee earlier this year before she went on to compete in the district bee in January. The North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee starts at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Schuler Performing Arts Center on the North Idaho College Campus, where about 40 fifth-through-eighth-graders will compete for an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee at the end of May. (Courtesy photo)
By DEVIN WEEKS
Hagadone News Network
COEUR d’ALENE — The North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee returns for its 15th year on Saturday at North Idaho College, and with it come about 40 wonderful wordsmithing students.
Among the competitors is 2017's regional winner, North Idaho Home Educators Association homeschooler Joseph Moran. Joseph, of Hayden, was only in fifth grade when he won last year, his first time competing in the regional bee.
Joseph has been reviewing the list of spelling words "to make sure I stay fresh," he said. He's feeling more confident now that he knows what he's doing.
"I made it that far last year," he said Thursday. "I'm thinking, 'Now I have a lot more experience. I think I have a decent chance of making it to the finals.' I mean, why not?"
This year, the Moran household is on double duty. Joseph's little brother, fourth-grader Adam, will also be competing against the fourth-through-eighth-grade contestants.
"It's nice. It gives me someone else to practice with, someone to cheer on if I happen to misspell," Joseph said. "Or someone else to cheer me on, potentially."
"It's a little more nerve-racking to have two of them in there because they're competitive with each other, as boys can be," said mom Sally Moran, who added it's important to just do the best they can "and have it be a great sport."
Private, public, charter and homeschool students from nine districts in the five northern counties of Idaho will be vying for the spot as top speller, which comes with an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., and the chance to shine during the National Scripps Spelling Bee at the end of May. The Hagadone News Network pays for the winner and an adult to go to D.C., while NIC continues to host the regional as it has done each of the previous 14 years.
Each contestant who has come this far has already won his or her respective grade level in district-qualifying bees held in public school districts as well as at homeschool and private school districts throughout North Idaho.
“Congratulations to those who qualified for the regional bee this year," said North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee coordinator Mindy Patterson. "It’s an amazing accomplishment."