A sixth grader from Crete-Monee Middle School will be representing Will County at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.
The Will County Regional Office of Education said Kingston McGhee is the champion of the Scripps National Spelling Bee Regional competition.
McGhee was declared the winner after 14 rounds of competition at Lincoln-Way West High School in New Lenox.
His winning word was blastema (which is a mass of cells used to grow and regenerate body parts found in animals like newts, starfish and some lizards).
The competition brought together students from junior high schools across Will County who won district or school-level spelling bees.
Julia Yanchick, an eighth grader from Washing Junior High School in Joliet Public Schools District 86, took second place, and Matthew Cline, a seventh grader from Liberty Junior High School in New Lenox District 122, took third.
To prepare for the spelling bee, competitors spent weeks studying “Words of Champions,” the official 4,000-word study guide provided by Scripps, according to the Regional Office of Education.
“The spelling bee represents so much more than memorization,” said Will County Regional Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lisa Caparelli-Ruff. “It showcases perseverance, confidence and a passion for learning. We are incredibly proud of all of our participants whose dedication and courage to compete exemplify the very best of Will County students.”
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McGhee will advance to the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., on May 27-28, where he will compete against students from around the U.S. The competition will be televised on ION Television.
In addition to a place in the national competition, regional winners receive a one-year subscription to Britannica Online Premium and Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online.
The Will County ROE has been hosting the regional spelling bee for over 25 years and says the competition “fosters a love of language and lifelong curiosity, while encouraging students to set goals, dedicate time to preparation and develop public speaking skills and poise under pressure.”