Four elementary students pose in a line
Grades 7 and 8 spelling honors at Danville Local Schools went to, from left, Isabell Payne, 7th runner-up; Kellyn Addair, 7th champion; Charlotte Meyers, 8th champion, and Kaley Smith, 8th runner-up. Credit: Larry Gibbs

DANVILLE – Four students have earned the honor of representing Danville Local Schools in next month’s Knox County Spelling Bee.

They are: Camren Clark, fifth grade; Glen Geog, sixth grade; Kellyn Addair, seventh grade, and Charlotte Meyers, eighth grade. They won their recent in-school, grade-level bees.

Clark earned the fifth-grade title by correctly spelling “cosmetics” and “mascot” to conclude the sixth round of competition. Cora Jensen was runner-up in a field of 10 competitors.

Geog emerged as the sixth-grade champion by correctly spelling “incredible” and “peppercorn” to end the ninth round. Trinity George-Kangwasser was runner-up among 10 spellers.

The seventh-grade title was won by Addair, who correctly spelled “deferential” in the 17th round. Isabelle Payne was runner-up in a field of nine competitors.

Meyers was proclaimed eighth-grade champion after correctly spelling “courier” and “Frankenstein” to end the 11th round. Kaley Smith was runner-up among 10 competitors.

The four champions will advance to compete against grades 5-8 bee winners from Centerburg, East Knox, Fredericktown and Mount Vernon in the county bee at 7 p.m. Jan. 14 in the Mount Vernon High School auditorium.

The Knox County Commissioners will again serve as judges.

The county bee is facilitated by the Knox County Educational Service Center with financial support from the Mount Vernon Rotary Club.

Taylor Gingery, the ESC’s gifted and talented coordinator, helps to arrange the in-school bees in each district and will be the pronouncer at the county bee.