Co-Champions Conquer the ECC Regional Spelling Bee

Daisy Fearn and Scott Harriman traded off spelling words head-to-head for several rounds, with neither showing signs of being stumped.

That’s why, for the first time ever, there were co-champions of the East Central College Regional Spelling Bee.

Daisy, a fifth grader at Pacific Intermediate School, and Scott, an eighth grader at St. Francis Borgia Middle School, both earned the top prizes of a trophy, a $100 cash prize, and the Spelling Bee title for the calendar year.

The Bee, the first at ECC since 2019, was held April 29 in the John Edson Anglin Performing Arts Center at ECC. It was hosted by the ECC Foundation and sponsored by hth Companies, Inc., Union. Hoffmann Hillermann donated plants for the stage.

The other trophy winner was Otto Ploch, an eighth grader at St. John’s Gildehaus Grade School. Otto placed third in the competition because there was no second-place slot. He received a $25 cash prize and a third-place trophy.

There were 26 total participants, which slowly dwindled over 24 rounds until just Daisy and Scott remained. Three hours after the Bee started, and more than 10 rounds between the co-champions, organizers determined that the remaining pair of contestants were not budging.

The competition had never gone for as long as it did this year, according to ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer, who was the word pronouncer.

“We’ve done this for many years, and this is as long as we’ve gotten,” Bauer said. “We could not stump these two. At this point, it would be really unfair for either one not to be champion.”

Spelling Bee Participants

Each of the Top 10 finalists received a medal. The top 10 in the competition were:

Addison Edler, Sullivan Elementary School; Areeba Shaikh, South Point Elementary and Tyler Emmons, Immanuel Lutheran School; Steven Reincke, St. Bridget of Kildare School; Alaina Bates, Black Hawk Middle School, and Kaden Baston, Union Middle School; and Alivia Christiansen, St. Francis Borgia Grade School.

Also participating in the Bee were Kaya Strubberg, Caleb Pich, Eddie Peters, Cole Lashley, Ruby Hill, Eli Schneider, Wyatt Johnson, Avery Pollock, Daniel Meadows, Owen Austin, Sydney Wilson, Brynn Butenhoff, Easton Ray, Jade Kresse, Sloan Romanoskie and Leo Gilbreath.

Participants in the Spelling Bee are determined at area elementary and middle schools, which send their school spelling bee champion to compete in the ECC Bee. Schools hold independent bees throughout the winter to select the top speller to represent them in the region.

Bee competitors are students in grades four through eighth grades. They do not advance to competition following the ECC Spelling Bee, but the regional bee gives students a chance to compete after the school-level competitions.

Judges, Organizers & Past Winners

The Spelling Bee judges were Pam Kaiser, program coordinator for ECC’s Center for Workforce Development; Sue Henderson, director of assessment and accreditation at Maryville University and former associate professor of English at ECC; and Linda Barro, ECC associate professor of English.

The Spelling Bee 2023 Steering Committee members are Jennifer Baker, Jennifer Hawkins, Bridgette Kelch, Patty Kellmann, Dawn Kitchell, Eric Lause, Hannah Masek, Terri Ogle, Eric Lause and Dot Schowe.

Past Champions of The Bee

2019 – Matthew Blomberg, Our Lady of Lourdes
2018 – Gabbie Helm, Our Lady of Lourdes
2017 – Max Grimes, Washington Middle School
2016 – Kelci Moore, Riverbend School
2015 – Samantha Doepker, Clearview Elementary School
2014 – Emily Braun, Union Middle School
2013 – Emily Braun, Union Middle School
2012 – McKenzie White, Meramec Valley Middle School
2011 – Ashley Roberts, St. Francis Borgia Grade School.

Future ECC Regional Spelling Bees are slated for the last Saturday in April each year. For more information, contact the Foundation at Foundation@eastcentral.edu or 636-584-6506.