77TH ANNUAL YAVAPAI COUNTY SPELLING BEE WINNERS

The 77th Annual Yavapai County Spelling Bee was held on the Prescott Campus of Yavapai College with a nice crowd assembled to watch fewer than expected contestants compete, through 16 rounds. The Bee was hosted by the Yavapai County Education Service Agency (YCESA). The winning word was “ferret”.

The 2023 County Champion was Shaelyn Van Doren of Franklin Phonetic Charter School. Second place went to Thomas Kleinjan of Granite Mountain Middle School. Rosalie Metzner of Clarkdale-Jerome School came in third and Aliyah Alpert of Alpert Homeschoolers placed 4th. Winners will receive a plaque and a check ranging from $300.00 to $100.00 in ceremonies on their home campuses within the next few weeks thanks to community sponsors, the Prescott Sunrise Lions Club and Fastenal.

The Yavapai County Spelling Bee is the oldest in Arizona.