MANSFIELD — Perhaps it’s appropriate that the winning word for the 2019 Richland County Spelling Bee was a word describing part of a bee’s anatomy.
With the spelling of the word “mandible,” an appendage near an insect’s mouth, Ontario eighth grader Alexis Shaver was named the champion of the bee on Thursday morning.
“I’d heard the word before, so I was excited,” Shaver said after her win. “The last word I knew, but the couple before that I was a little scared about.”
Shaver beat out 52 other student participants after 10 rounds of spelling. Coming in at runner-up was Lexington seventh grader Natalie Holmes.
Shaver had been to the Richland County Spelling Bee in the past, but never made it beyond ninth place. Her winning strategy was to write out the words on her hand before spelling them out loud.
“I’m a visual learner, so I have to write the words out to see them and get them in my head,” she said. “Writing on my hand helps me a lot.”
Participating school districts in this year’s bee included Crestview Local, Lexington Local, Lucas Local, Madison Local, Mansfield St. Mary, Ontario Local, Plymouth-Shiloh Local, St. Peter, Shelby City, and Shelby Sacred Heart.
The next step for Shaver is the Tri-County Spelling Bee, which will be held on Thursday, Feb. 14 at Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center. The 12 top spellers from the Crawford, Richland and Morrow County bees will be invited to participate.
On that day, Shaver will be trying to take her own advice.
“Don’t try to be too nervous,” she said. “I know it’s hard to say that because there’s a bunch of people watching you, but you just have to focus. Whatever strategy helps you, just try to use that.”
