By Barbara Jones, Director of Special Events

Thirty-seven students from thirteen schools participated in the Southwest Missouri Regional Scripps Spelling Bee, held Saturday, March 22 on the Missouri State University Springfield campus. Three spellers, Andy Su of Greenwood Laboratory School, Ethan Talbot of Lebanon Junior High School, and Krishan Ghosh of David Harrison Elementary, remained at the end of Round 15. Su was eliminated in Round 19, leaving Talbot and Ghosh vying for first place. In Round 65, both Talbot and Ghosh missed their words, so a new round was declared. In Round 68, again both spellers missed their words and another new round was declared. In Round 69, Ghosh missed his word. Round 70 was then declared the championship round, whereupon Talbot misspelled the championship word. A new round was declared for Round 71, whereupon both spellers again missed their words. In the next new round, Round 72, Talbot misspelled his word which led to the final, championship round. Ghosh stepped to the microphone and was asked to spell the word, “strophic.” Silence filled the auditorium as the fourth grader from David Harrison Elementary School in Springfield, Mo., began to spell: “S – T – R – O – P – H – I – C, strophic!”

“That is correct,” announced the judge. “We have a champion!”

Ghosh will represent Southwest Missouri at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. the week of May 25-31, 2014. Our congratulations go out to Ghosh, 1^st Place; Talbot, 2^nd Place, and Su, 3^rd Place.