Kentucky Monthly is proud to be a media sponsor of the Ford Motor Company Kentucky Derby Festival Spelling Bee. This year, the excitement takes place on Saturday, March 17, at Louisville's Bomhard Theater.
Each March, Kentucky and southern Indiana’s top spellers compete in the Derby Festival Spelling Bee to determine the best of the best. To advance to this state-level competition, students must win their county spelling bees.
Finishers in the top five spots receive savings bonds from the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation, and the Spelling Bee champion gets to ride on the Winner’s Float in the Republic Bank Pegasus® Parade.
Following are the top spellers from selected counties:
Bath Co. Spelling Champ
Bath County Spelling Bee Champion Mason Cline, a 5th-grade student at Crossroads Elementary School. Pictured with are CES Assistant Principal Sean Bailey, Jacky Watson and Superintendent Harvey Tackett.
Casey Co. Spelling Champ
Casey County Spelling Bee champ Abygail Pendleton proudly displays her trophy and certificate.
Edmundson Co. Spelling Bee
From left, Edmundson County Superintendent Patrick Waddell, Will Saling, Grant Johnson (District Winner), Brody Johnson, Levi Cline, Taylor Dooley and Shelia Durbin. Brody Johnson, a 7th grader, is the Edmonson County District Spelling Bee winner. Brody recently scored a 35 composite score on the ACT.
Fayette County Spellers
The three top finishers of the Fayette County Farm Bureau Spelling Bee are, from left, 3rd-place finisher Phoenix DuBravac, a 7th grader from Winburn Middle; 1st-place finisher Ashley DeVore, an 8th grader who is homeschooled; and 2nd-place finished Leander Emrick, a 7th grader from Jessie Clark Middle.
Greenup Spellers
Greenup County's top spellers are Sarah Pierce, McKell Middle School, District Champion Speller (right) and Alexis Deskins, Wurtland Middle School, 1st runner-up. They are pictured with Superintendent Sherry Horsley.
Pulaski Spellers
The best spellers in Pulaski County are, from left, Spelling Bee winner Aiden Corder, runner-up Jaxon Ray, and third runner-up is Kennedy White. Bill White, educational chairperson for Farm Bureau, is pictured behind the students.