Albus of Saco Crowned County Spelling Bee Champion

As the doors closed at 12:58 p.m. to sequester those in the auditorium from any disturbances, or distraction from the hallway, the County Spelling Bee for 2024 was ready to begin. Malta Middle School hosted the event on Feb. 7th, with six Phillips County schools from Dodson, Whitewater, Malta Elementary, Malta Middle School, the Homeschool programs and the East Colony students competing.

Instructions were given, rules were announced and the Bee was on. By 1:40 a.m., a new Phillips County Spelling Bee Champion was named. Chase Albus, of Saco, was the winner, and Kade Bleth, of Malta Middle School, was first runner-up.

From relaxed and confident to anxious and petrified, the contestants were each given a practice word. Some struggled with the warmup words, which is A-Okay...that's why it's a "warmup" and it took some of the chill off the moment.

It's not easy to do public speaking, it is an art some handle with ease, while others cringe at the mere thought. As Cynthia Lewis was quoted to have said, "It's not enough to be able to spell "magnificence" in your bedroom...you have to be able to spell it at the microphone during the spelling bee!"

Following the event for the day, the two youth provided the following responses to winning. Asked how long have you been practicing words?

Bleth said, "I didn't practice;" and when asked further if it just came natural, Bleth responded, "yeah, I guess."

When Bleth was through speaking, Albus quipped, "I am a natural."

Both boys stated their favorite subject in school is math.

Inquiring as to their plans for competing at the State level, they were asked if they plan to study and read over practice word sheets.

Albus responded, "Nah, probably not."

Bleth said, "I'm just gunna read."

When asked of Bleth, as first runner-up, will he just go and be ready in case Albus breaks a leg there and can't participate, he said, "No, I'm not going to go to State."

Albus added, "I'm probably not going to go, either." He responded that he didn't know why he wasn't going to go. Both students plan to be at the State basketball tournaments that same weekend.

Principal Zach Handley served as the pronouncer-announcer of the words; judges were Darlene Kolczak, Shyla Clausen and Jane Knudsen.

Previously selected for the County Bee by Dodson School were McKenzie Ereaux, Xavier Best, Tyrel Turnsplenty, Jerelee Wing and Jacobi YellowEarrings as contestants. Miliyah Doney and Kaiya Doney were the alternates.

Whitewater students Rory Green, Samuel Simonson, Alex Stenvik-Harms, Amus Blunt and Aidree Math were the schools' contestants, and Hadley Hellie and Traxton Simanton were alternates.

Representing the Malta Elementary School were Kaelyn Young, Isla Dunbar, Mary Simons, Macy Lien and Carson Young for competition. Backup students as alternates were Julian Hilliard and Hennessey Williams.

Malta Middle School selections were Kolter Coil, Shelby Snellman, Kade Bleth, Missy Winkle, and Zander Fuller. Khloe Zeiger and Kiptyn Bain were alternates.

Making the trip from the eastern edge of the county, Saco School brought Royce Strobbe, Avery Salveson, Ainsley Erickson, Trey Downing and Chase Albus as contestants; and Jose Cervantes and Tyler Sunford as alternates.

The East Colony contestants were Austin Hofer and Asher Hofer.

Hannah Young, Grace Young and Seterah Pekovitch were Homeschool Students attending the competing. There were no alternates for the East Colony or the Homeschool Programs.

Over the years, since 1977, there has been either a winner or runner-up from these schools at the County Bee, as well as Tallow Creek, Zortman and Sun Prairie when the country schools were open. Forty-seven attended Malta Schools and sixteen were from Whitewater. Dodson is home to eleven winners while nine were from Saco. Two students were from Zortman School. There was one Tallow Creek students that laid claim to the honor and one was from Sun Prairie School.

Some words didn't seem too difficult for the age level of the students, although it was the luck of the draw whether their word was livid, useful, brick, handle, pending, biscuit or antlers. Students were given crookedly, dynasty, thicket, hexagonal, calculator, maternity, kudos and dreadlock.

After the opening round there were eleven still in the running. Following the next round, the pool was at six students.

As the words managed to slowly eliminate the students, it came down to Bleth and Albus. The winning word, correctly spelled by Albus was, "spectral, s-p-e-c-t-r-a-l, spectral."

Following the Bee, guests and contestants were invited to enjoy cookies, courtesy of the Rocking R's in the kitchen, Ronda Simanton and Rhonda Waters.

Albus can compete at the State Spelling Bee to be held at MSU-Bozeman on March 9th.