Two in a row
Carlson is the Ward County Spelling Bee champion again
Erik Ramstad Middle School eighth-grader Chloe Carlson is the Ward County Spelling Bee champion for the second year in a row.
Carlson spelled words such as “antidote,” “bedlam,” “aperture,” “Einstein,” “ascetic,” “toccata,” “aspidistra,” and “pterodactyl” in the oral round of the spelling bee Wednesday to claim her title and the right to advance to the North Dakota State Spelling Bee on March 17 at the Ramkota Inn in Bismarck. She beat out 20 other spellers in the oral round, including runner-up Christopher Jenner, a seventh-grader at Surrey. Jenner will also go on to compete at the state spelling bee. Carlson won the state spelling bee last year and went on to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The pressure of the competition sometimes prompted tears if a child failed to spell a tough word correctly and sighs of relief if they did.
Finalists in the oral round featured some past winners, like Carlson, and a few new faces. A pair of sisters, Memorial eighth-grader Iris Cumber and her seventh-grade sister Karolina Cumber, both were among the top 21 finalists.
Spellers were felled by words such as “treatise,” “sentries,” “pearlescent,” “stratagems,” “sanctum sanctorum,” “gladiatorial,” or “syncope.” Children had a chance to study the words on the list before the competition.
The fifth- through eighth-graders first took a written test in the morning. The top scorers on the written test were chosen to compete in the oral round. The top two finishers in the oral round go on to compete at the state competition.
Winners in the written round follow.
City of Minot schools
Eighth grade: Chloe Carlson, Ramstad, first place; Iris Cumber, Memorial Middle School, second place.
Seventh grade: Karolina Cumber, Memorial Middle School, first place; Cambry Frantsvog, Ramstad, second place.
Sixth grade: Batool Alakech, Jim Hill Middle School, first place; Alonna Kolobakken, Ramstad, second place.
Fifth grade: Lucy DeDios, North Plains Elementary, first place; Otto Raines, Perkett Elementary, second place.
Ward County schools
Eighth grade: Christina Larsen, Surrey, first place; Megan Zimmer, Kenmare, second place.
Seventh grade: Natalie Helfrich, Berthold, first place; Christopher Jenner, Surrey, second place.
Sixth grade: Abbey Kohler, Kenmare, first place; Annaliese Rauschenberger, South Prairie, second place.
Fifth grade: Shaylie Rintoul, Nedrose, first place; Kelsey Wingenbach, Surrey, second place.
Oral round competitors: Batool Alakech, sixth grade, Jim Hill; Ashley Beers, Memorial Middle School, eighth grade; Josh Boen, Jim Hill, eighth grade; Chloe Carlson, Ramstad, eighth grade; Iris Cumber, Memorial, eighth grade; Karolina Cumber, Memorial, seventh grade; Lucy DeDios, North Plains, fifth grade; Cambry Frantsvog, Ramstad, seventh grade; Tirzah Grubaugh, Surrey, eighth grade; Natalie Helfrich, Berthold, seventh grade; Kalen Hill, Jim Hill, seventh grade; Annika Huesers, South Prairie, seventh grade; Christopher Jenner, Surrey, seventh grade; Kimberly Knutson, Our Redeemer’s Christian School, eighth grade; Alonna Kolobakken, Ramstad, sixth grade; Christina Larsen, Surrey, eighth grade; Madison Lyman, Edison Elementary, fifth grade; Otto Raines, Perkett Elementary, fifth grade; Annaliese Rauschenberger, South Prairie, sixth grade; Alyxys Sabile, Nedrose, eighth grade; Megan Zimmer, Kenmare, eighth grade.