This year’s spell-off goes to O’Neal

Two students from O’Neal Elementary, second grader Blake Brown and Grace Neighbors of the third grade, recently won the Butler County Community Resource Council’s sixth annual spelling bee, sponsored by Fox Radio Network, at the County Road 448 station headquarters.

Grace won on the sixth word, p-o-s-s-i-b-i-l-i-t-y, after Eddie Thornton of Eugene Field, Keona Sample of Lake Road and Kennedy Zgaynor of Oak Grove got hung up on e-x-p-e-d-i-t-i-o-n. Meanwhile second graders Destiny Jackson of Oak Grove, Aaryn Johnson of Lake Road and Madelyn Hunter of Eugene Field made it to round 78, with Blake winning by spelling the word p-e-r-m-a-n-e-n-t correctly.

Each of the elementary students did an incredible job, spelling well beyond their grade level expectations, according to CRC officials.

Pictured presenting the trophies to Blake Brown and Grace Neighbors is Lee Silberg, CRC director of the court appointed special advocate program, and Kathern Harris, chairwoman of the CRC children & youth succeeding in school committee.

Pictured presenting the trophies to Blake Brown and Grace Neighbors is Lee Silberg, CRC director of the court appointed special advocate program, and Kathern Harris, chairwoman of the CRC children & youth succeeding in school committee.