Fifth-graders buzzing about classmate’s win
It took 17 rounds, but Ivy Lighthizer outlasted her older competition to win the 30th Blooming Prairie Spelling Bee.
She misspelled just one word, silhouette, but said her most difficult word was compassionate.
Though she’s familiar with the word, Ivy said she “didn’t know if there was one or two s’s.”
The fifth-grader defeated 29 other spellers in grades five through eight to advance to the semi-final regional bee, set for Feb. 10 in Rochester.
“I’m nervous, but very excited” about the next step, said Ivy, the daughter of Heather Meyer and Jake Lighthizer.
Though she was one of the younger contestants, Ivy said she’s always been a good speller and loves to read.
Still, she said, “I studied every single day” from a list provided by the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
“Her dad and I have always read to her,” said Meyer, “and she goes to the library weekly with her dad.”
Runner-up Jasmine Bui, a sixth-grader, kept pace with Ivy as the two went head-to-head from rounds nine through 14.
Both missed their word in Round 15 – Ivy added an extra l to silhouette; Jasmine chose the wrong final vowel in the word thesaurus.
That meant both remained in the competition and moved to Round 16, which featured another pair of doozies.
Ivy correctly spelled chandelier, while Jasmine was tripped up by concierge – barely.
Ivy then spelled hibiscus correctly, sealing the win.
Jason Iacovino, a BPHS graduate and the BPHS speech coach, was the pronouncer.
Judges were Jacob Schwarz, principal at BP Elementary School, and Jeanette Hauschildt, a former spelling bee coordinator for the district.
Judy Bishop, who founded the local spelling bee in 1992, was the recorder, and Paige Goetz, secretary at BPES, was the audio recorder.