MIDDLEBURY — On Monday, March 21, 20 kids from all over Addison County and their families gathered in the Community Room at Ilsley Public Library for the fourth annual Homeschool Spelling Bee. Participants ranging in age from 5 to 13 competed for medals by trying to out-spell each other.
The competitors spelled words from the Scripps National Spelling Bee word list, starting at first-grade level and working their way up to eighth-grade level. The really challenging words started eliminating more and more kids, until there were only three contestants left. The tension grew as the three finalists entered the championship round, spelling words like “prestidigitation” and “chrysanthemum.”
Lydia Vaine, age 11, of Monkton won a third-place medal. That left William Moran, age 12, and Katherine Moran, age 10, both of Starksboro, in a sibling stand-off for the gold. In the end, William was awarded a second-place medal. Katherine, who won second place in last year’s Homeschool Spelling Bee, was this year’s champion speller.    
All of the contestants earned Certificates of Achievement for spelling words above and beyond their grade level. Everyone had fun cheering each other on, and learning new words.
This story was provided by 12-year-old Faith Holzhammer of Orwell.
KATHERINE MORAN, 10, of Starksboro, center, took first place at the annual Homeschool Spelling Bee held in Middlebury recently. Finishing second was Katherine’s brother, William Moran, 12. Lydia Vaine, 11, of Monkton came in third. Photo by Stephanie Vaine