Knudsen wins Sanders County spelling bee
From left are the winners of the Sanders County spelling bee. Lucy Metcalf, a fourth-grade student from Dixon, was third. Gage Todd, a seventh-grade student from Trout Creek, was second. Naoma Knudsen, a sixth-grade student from Hot Springs, was first. (Scott Shindledecker/Valley Press)
Hot Springs sixth-grade student Naoma Knudsen is the 2020 Sanders County Spelling Bee champion.
Knudsen battled 15 other competitors to claim the title in the 33rd annual event held last Friday at the Sanders County Courthouse.
Trout Creek seventh-grade student Gage Todd placed second while Dixon fourth-grade student Lucy Metcalf was third.
Other bee qualifiers, listed by school, are below:
Dixon: Katie Porter, sixth grade; Adele Ranney, sixth grade; Charlie Elverud, seventh grade.
Hot Springs: Ben Aldridge, fifth grade; Kora Hensrude, fifth grade; Elijah Campbell, eighth grade.
Plains: Kylan Bostick, sixth grade: Reece Crowley, fifth grade; Kassidy O’Keefe, eighth grade; Madi Blood, seventh grade.
Thompson Falls: Arianna Grounds, seventh grade; Summer Olmos, seventh grade; Aubrey Baxter, fifth grade; Sabrina McGuaghey, sixth grade.
Trout Creek: Gavin Todd, fifth grade; Duke Lupsha, eighth grade; Grace Hill, eighth grade.
Sara Czerwinski directed the bee while Dan Whittenburg was the pronouncer.
Judges included Michael Scharfe, Czerwinski and Karen Dwyer.