Beaverhead County Spelling Bee Held At Courthouse; Emma Filer Wins Championship (Photo Gallery)

DILLON, MT – The Beaverhead County Spelling Bee took place today at the Beaverhead County Courthouse, with 30 young spellers competing for the coveted top spot and a chance to advance to the state spelling bee.

The event began with a practice round designed to help participants get a feel for the competition. The first word presented was "magnolia," followed by the challenging word "amnesia," which tripped up the first contestant. The word "teriyaki" also posed a challenge, leading to eliminations.

By the end of the first round, 14 spellers had been eliminated, narrowing the competition down. The second round saw 10 contestants remaining, followed by a third round that further reduced the field to eight. As the rounds continued, the number of contestants dwindled: five in the fourth round and three by the fifth round.

In the sixth and final round, all three remaining spellers successfully spelled their first word. However, one contestant misspelled "university," resulting in elimination. This left the top two contestants to compete head-to-head.

In the next round, the first word, "accolade," was missed by speller number one, while the champion, Emma Filer, correctly spelled "pedigree." Emma then sealed her victory by spelling the championship word, "appraisal," thus winning the spelling bee.

Emma, a homeschooler, is set to represent Beaverhead County at the state spelling bee, showcasing her impressive spelling skills and determination throughout the competition.

Top 3 contestants

Will Anderson was the runner up. With Spelling B winner Emma Filer

Spelling B winner Emma Filer

Will Anderson was the runner up.