Park Hills student wins regional spelling bee, advances to nationals
FOX23 News at 9 p.m
POPLAR BLUFF, Mo., (KBSI) — A Park Hills middle school student has won the regional spelling bee hosted by Three Rivers College and will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Gentry Layton of Central Middle School in Park Hills claimed the championship at the 17th annual Three Rivers College Southeast Missouri Spelling Bee on Saturday. Layton secured the win in the 14th round by correctly spelling “analphabet,” which means a person who cannot read.
Layton will represent the region at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, scheduled for May 26-28 in Washington, D.C.
Students from Doniphan Middle School finished second and third, with Caydin Morin placing second and Anita Zoellner finishing third. Morin also placed second in last year’s competition.
A total of 27 students from 17 area schools participated in the event.
Additional finalists included Lacey Coffer, Karly Wear, Clara Wilkerson and Owen Albritton, who tied for fourth place, followed by Claire Branum in eighth, Nate Stevens in ninth and Kaylee Carr in 10th.
Three Rivers College is an official regional sponsor of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The winner receives an all-expenses-paid trip to compete at the national level.
