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Tri-County Spelling Bee Crowns Champion
Mansfield, OH (February 16, 2024) – The Mid-Ohio ESC spelling bee season concluded with the Tri-County championship held on February 15 at the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center.
Contestants battled for eight rounds before Nevin Zerby, an 8th grader from Highland Local Schools, was declared the champion by spelling the championship word “kelpies.” Nathan M., an 8th grader from Lexington, and Owen Doan, a 7th grader from Mansfield City battled back and forth to determine runner-up honors. Owen Doan was victorious by spelling the word “espionage.”
The bee included top performers from both the Crawford/Morrow County and the Richland County bees that were held virtually in January. Competing in the Tri-County Bee were nine 8th graders, nine 7th graders, two 6th graders, two 5th graders and one 4th grader. Schools represented were Galion, Colonel Crawford, Crestline, St. Joseph School (Crestline), Cardington-Lincoln, Mt. Gilead, Highland, Northmor, Sacred Heart, Crestview, Mansfield City, Plymouth-Shiloh, Ontario, Lexington, Mansfield St. Peter’s and Lucas.
Champion: Nevin Zerby
Runner-Up: Owen Doan
Leah Barger, the spelling bee coordinator for Mid-Ohio ESC, said, “It is a pleasure to host events of this type at Mid-Ohio. Spelling bees not only give students a chance to compete in a friendly, supportive environment, but they also enhance a wide range of cognitive skills including memory, attention, language-based knowledge and literacy skills. We are proud of all of the contestants in the Tri-County Spelling Bee.”
Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center provides specialized academic and support services to 13 school districts and over 20,000 students in Crawford, Morrow and Richland Counties. Client districts receive services from curriculum, gifted and special education consultants, speech pathologists, psychologists, special education teachers, occupational therapists and physical therapists.