A total of 52 fourth- through eighth-graders from the five northern counties of Idaho will participate in the 10th annual North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee Saturday, March 23 at North Idaho College, the winner of which will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee the end of May.
Each contestant was the winner of his or her respective grade level in district qualifying bees held in public school districts as well as a homeschool and private school districts throughout North Idaho.
“A total of 54 schools are involved in this year’s spelling bee from 11 districts across North Idaho, including home schoolers and private schoolers,” said North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee Coordinator Mindy Patterson. “Congratulations to those who qualified for the regional bee this year—it’s an amazing accomplishment.”
The spellers will compete against each other, regardless of grade level, beginning at 9 a.m. in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center on NIC’s main campus. Registration for participants will begin at 8:30 a.m.
The event is sponsored by Hagadone Newspapers and hosted by NIC. Fourth-grade participants:Chase Tucker, Valley View Elementary, Boundary County School District #101Grant O'Brien, Ramsey Elementary, Coeur d'Alene School District #271Josiah Pinkerton of Coeur d’Alene, Home School District Riley Rollins, Sunnyside Elementary, Kellogg School District #391Amanda Cabral, Harrison Elementary, Kootenai School District #274Jaycee Forell, Sagle Elementary, Lake Pend Oreille School District #84Olivia Cooper, Garwood Elementary, Lakeland School District #272Darren Higgins, Lakeside Elementary, Plummer-Worley School District #44Carson Lux, Lutheran Academy of the Master, Private School DistrictRandie Becktel, Heyburn Elementary, St. Maries School District #41Brenna Ells, Priest River Elementary, West Bonner County School District #83 Fifth-grade participants:Katie Clairmont, Valley View Elementary, Boundary County School District #101Andrea Golden, Fernan Elementary, Coeur d'Alene School District #271Kiara Whalen of Spirit Lake, Home School DistrictElizabeth Langer, Sunnyside Elementary, Kellogg School District #391Kennedy Lafountaine, Harrison Elementary, Kootenai School District #274Ilijah Karasek, Washington Elementary, Lake Pend Oreille School District #84Kaiden Pollard, John Brown Elementary, Lakeland School District #272Regina Flemming, Lakeside Elementary, Plummer-Worley School District #44Ben Brock, North Idaho Christian School, Private School DistrictMadison Chase, Heyburn Elementary, St. Maries School District #41Kara Slater, Idaho Hill Elementary, West Bonner County School District #83 Sixth-grade participants:Charcy Bullock, Boundary County Middle School, Boundary County School District #101Tristan Kruenegel, Sorensen Elementary, Coeur d'Alene School District #271Esther, Pinkerton of Coeur d’Alene, Home School DistrictAlexadra Lile, Kellogg Middle School, Kellogg School District #391Cheyenne Wellman, Kootenai Junior/Senior High School, Kootenai School District #274Natalia Madison, Sandpoint Middle School, Lake Pend Oreille School District #84Alyssa Adams, Athol Elementary, Lakeland School District #272Brandon Jimenez, Lakeside Elementary, Plummer-Worley School District #44Preston Pfau, North Idaho Christian School, Private School DistrictJon Ingersoll, St. Maries Middle School, St. Maries School District #41Chloe Livingston, Priest River Elementary, West Bonner County School District #83 Seventh-grade participants:Mariah Roy, Boundary County Middle School, Boundary County School District #101Evan Schwaab, Lakes Middle School, Coeur d'Alene School District #271Rebekah Pinkerton of Coeur d'Alene, Home School DistrictJordan Lo, Kellogg Middle School, Kellogg School District #391Madison Napierala, Kootenai Junior/Senior High School, Kootenai School District #274Maleah Harshman, Sandpoint/Forrest M. Bird Charter School Lake Pend Oreille School District #84Haley Billingsley, Lakeland Junior High School, Lakeland School District #272Thorin Panke, Silver Valley Christian Academy, Private School DistrictAlex Beauchman, St. Maries Middle School, St. Maries School District #41Garrett Naccarato, Priest River Junior High, West Bonner County School District #83 Eighth-grade participants:Travis Zigler, Boundary County Middle School, Boundary County School District #101Tricia McCullough, Canfield Middle School, Coeur d'Alene School District #271Austin Bartley, Kellogg Middle School, Kellogg School District #391Michaela Lafountaine, Kootenai Junior/Senior High, Kootenai School District #274Mackenzie Wolfe, Sandpoint Middle School, Lake Pend Oreille School District #84Cassie Tappa, Lakeland Junior High, Lakeland School District #272Brilliana Preston, Christian Center School, Private School DistrictKiefer Gibson, St. Maries Middle School, St. Maries School District #41Jonathan Miller, Priest River Junior High, West Bonner County School District #83
