Beaverhead County Courthouse To Host Spelling Bee

Beaverhead County Courthouse will play host to Elementary and Middle School spellers from around the county on Wednesday, February 16th at 1:30 p.m. in the main courtroom. Students from all the grade schools plus those from Dillon Middle School will contend for a trip to the treasure state spelling bee on March 12th in Bozeman.

County Superintendent of Schools Mike Miller is serving as the director for this year's contest, an in-person event after last year's online qualifying spelling bee.

“The 6 rural schools, Lima's Elementary School, the area homeschoolers, and the schools in Dillon have all been invited to send spellers to challenge for a trip to Bozeman in March,” said Miller. “We may have as many as 30 area spellers entered in the contest this year, although some schools may choose not to take part.”

Trophies for the top two spellers and certificates for all participants will be presented at the conclusion of the event along with donations from local financial institutions to help defray the cost for travel to Bozeman. 3 local judges have volunteered, and dr. Laura Strauss, and education department Professor from the University of Montana Western will be pronouncing the words.

The treasure state spelling, now in its 57th year, is conducted along the rules of the Scripps National Spelling Bee organization which furnishes the spelling less used at local and state spelling bees. “At least one speller from each County can be entered in state bee, in which counties with much larger populations are allowed more spellers. But it is expected that 60 spellers will Converge on the campus of Montana State University at the Strand Ballroom for this year's contest”, reported Miller. Only students from schools which are enrolled in the National Scripps organization are eligible to participate in the state be, although registration is not required for the county.

The Montana television network sponsors the event and journalists from the network will serve as judges. Chrysti “The Wordsmith” Smith will be pronouncing.

Masks are not required, but family and friends of the spellers may wish to bring their own to the courthouse.