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First-place finisher also first official entrant in national bee

By Jennifer Compston 4 min read
T-L Photo/SHELLEY HANSON BELMONT COUNTY District Spelling Bee sponsors gather with the competition’s first-place winner after the event on Thursday at Ohio University Eastern in St. Clairsville. Front row, from left, are Mike McKeever, St. Clairsville Middle School principal, who is holding the bee’s Traveling Trophy to be displayed at the school; bee winner Linh Le, an eighth grader at St. Clairsville, and her mother Katy Le; Amber Toriseva and Lori Robson both of the East Central Ohio Educational Service. Back row, from left, Lisa Stupak of East Central Ohio Educational Service, Richard Silverio and Mark Nicholson of Belmont Savings Bank; Joe Lovell of The Times Leader; and Beth Rushton and Carol Henderson, both bee coordinators and fifth grade teachers. Le will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., from May 27-June 1.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE -- F-I-R-S-T.

That word probably wouldn't present much of a challenge for the 18 middle-schoolers who took part in the Belmont County Spelling Bee, but it has special meaning for champion Linh Le. The St. Clairsville Middle School eighth-grader finished in first place in that competition on Thursday -- a feat that also made her the first student in the country to officially qualify for 2018 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Following the local event, The Times Leader received an email from Valerie Miller, communications manager for Scripps, recognizing Le's achievement.

"Congrats to our very first national finalist -- Linh Le!" Miller wrote.

Miller also thanked the newspaper for serving as a major sponsor of the county-level event.

"First, thanks to The Times Leader for your sponsorship of your local program," Miller wrote. "Secondly, thanks for the coverage of your regional bee. It's the first regional bee of the season, so we're very excited!"

Joining The Times Leader in sponsoring the event were Belmont Savings Bank, Goldberg, Persky & White, East Central Ohio Educational Service Center, Airport Limousine Service and AAA Auto Club. The local businesses worked together to make the experience possible for all the students involved. The Times Leader provides an all-expenses-paid trip to the national bee for the winner, while sponsors such as Belmont Savings Bank provided provide prizes for the top finishers and recognition for all the participants.

In addition to the free trip to Washington, D.C., Le also received a $500 cash prize, thanks to Belmont Savings Bank; a first place trophy; a Merriam Webster Unabridged Online Certificate; the Samuel Louis Sugarman Award; a plaque with two winning words for school display; the traveling trophy for school display; and a one-year subscription to the Britannica Online Premium. Prizes were also given to the second (Samia Tubby), third (Kylie McGinnis) and fourth (Mackenzie Keene) place finishers. The winning cover design for the spelling bee's program book was created by Shaylnn Baker of St. Clairsville Middle School.

Le will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee during a trip to Washington, D.C. from May 27-June 1. She will be accompanied by her mother, Katy Le. She also is the daughter of Quam Le.

Le said she prepared for the county bee by writing the words down and listening to their pronunciations on the internet. She spent the past month preparing for the event.

"Especially in the last week. I've been going home and writing down, maybe hundreds of words a night," she said. "I had my dad quiz me yesterday, but that was it."

Le advises other youngsters thinking about competing to give it a try.

"Don't hesitate. Just sign up for it. Study a lot, but even if you don't make it, it's a good experience," she said.

The second-place finisher and alternate to the national bee is Samia Tubby, a sixth-grader at Bellaire Middle School. She is the daughter of Dionne and Steven Tubby. Other participating spellers included: Kylie McGinnis, Tim Stoffer, Katelyn Hunt, Andrew Osman, Cade Boulet, Emily Klempa, Laura Weaver, Lyrik Brown, Caitlin Collins, Gracie Crumm, Calista Crick, Savannah Gatts, Alissa Hadorn, Mackenzie Keene, Kamren Donahue and Ema Plute.

Miller said information about Le and the Belmont County bee will appear on the Scripps website at www.spellingbee.com. Miller said the entry will appear as follows:

"The first regional bee for 2018 was in Belmont County, Ohio. Linh Le, an eighth-grader from St. Clairsville Middle School, correctly spelled sinister and lenient to win the trophy and prizes including a trip to the National Finals in the Washington, D.C., area. Thanks to all the local sponsors who made this opportunity possible -- The Times Leader, Belmont Savings Bank, Goldberg, Persky & White, East Central Ohio Educational Service Center, Airport Limousine Service and AAA Auto Club."

For more information on the Scripps National Spelling Bee visit www.spellingbee.com. For information on how to get your child involved at the local level, talk to local school district officials or contact the East Central Ohio Educational Service Center's St. Clairsville office at 740-695-9773 or visit www.ecoesc.org.

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