Think March Madness, but for only words — area students going head-to-head, round after round, until only one spelling champion remains!
On Tuesday, February 24th, 33 energetic and bright competitors from Covenant Christian, Ludington Area Catholic, Ludington, Mason County Central, Mason County Eastern, and Walkerville schools gathered at Peterson Auditorium in Ludington to participate in the West Shore ESD Area Regional Spelling Bee.
The winner, Henry O’Neal, an eighth-grader from Mason County Central, (in the center of this photo) qualified to compete in the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. this spring.
Many thanks to our WSESD Area Spelling Bee officials: (L-R) judge Patti Klevorn, word pronouncer Dale Horowski, judge Jennifer Lundberg-Anders, and Patrick Gwiazdowski from Safe Harbor Credit Union, our regional sponsor.
Thank you to the Ludington Daily News as well for providing a $500 travel voucher for Henry and his family to go to DC in a few weeks.
Best of luck, Henry!