Four years ago, Kalea DiRe won Boulder Elementary’s 4th-grade spelling bee. She won again the next year. And again the next year. And again the next year. And finally, last month, one more time – her fifth in a row.
“It feels really good,” the 14-year-old 8th-grader told The Monitor. “I felt proud of myself.”
Next up is the Feb. 11 county-wide spelling bee at Clancy school. In addition to DiRe, Boulder will send Harper Moffett and Calvin Heaton to represent the 7th grade, Luken Bailey 6th, Brianna Parke and Seeley Eury 5th, and Calvin Randall and Alyson Bartel 4th.
Montana City School is sending an even bigger contingent, with 10: Joseph Gonzales and Clara Ostby (8th), Sam Harmon and Kyle Casey (7th), Liam Fox and Mia Bury (6th), Harley Anderson and Zoriah Jones (5th) and James Martin and Jaxson Peters (4th). Ostby is a three-time winner, having won in 4th and 7th grade, while Fox also won his class competition two years ago.
Clancy School is also sending 10: school bee winner Paige Phelps (7th grade), plus Elizabeth Walker (8th), Mason Flesher, Athena Menth, Aiden Jackson (7th), Quentin Good, Beau Hadfield (6th), Lilliana Wandke, Olivia Dickson and Reagan Phelps (5th).
All of these top spellers now hope to win the county bee and earn a spot at the state spelling bee next month – and a shot at nationals. In her four previous chances, DiRe had yet to come out on top at county.
Yet she did deliver her best showing last year, coming in third place. What’s her plan this year?
“Keep studying and hope for the best,” she said.
