Aquinas 3rd grader takes Greensburg Rotary Spelling Bee crown

Alexis Kost, a third grader from Metzgar Elementary School, revealed a hidden talent to her family when she conquered a written spelling test and a classroom spelling competition to earn an invitation to the Rotary Spelling Bee.

The competition was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Greensburg for the 15th time.

As Kost stood on the stage of the Stanwood Elementary School auditorium in Hempfield, she beamed at her parents and grandparents as she spelled the word “skip” and moved on to the second round.

Her mother, Renee Kost, said she was surprised when her daughter volunteered to begin the spelling bee journey by volunteering to complete the written test in the fall. Her father, Brian Kost, said she didn’t get the talent from him.

“Her spelling is probably better than mine,” he said.

Competitors from Hempfield, Greensburg Salem and Aquinas Elementary schools received a warm welcome as they were led onto the stage by ninth graders dressed as bees. A recording of the song “Gonna Fly Now” by Bill Conti, a song popularized by the “Rocky” movies, blared over the loudspeakers as the spellers waved to their friends and families in the audience.

According to Shelly Gaffney, director of the Rotary Spelling Bee, Rotary members visit third grade classes in Hempfield, Greensburg Salem and Aquinas school districts each fall and winter. Each child receives a dictionary and a letter to their parents or guardians announcing the spelling bee.

“One of the missions we focus on at the Rotary is education and literacy,” Gaffney said. “We have dictionaries, but you and I are more likely to pull up Google and search for a word. This is a way to teach them how to use a dictionary, and the kids get so excited about the dictionaries and that they get to keep them.”

Students can volunteer to take a written spelling test and compete in a Classroom Bee. The winner from each classroom is invited to compete in the annual Rotary Spelling Bee.

Competition was stiff, as words like “accident” and “especially” were thrown around during the first and second rounds. Spellers held strong; some, including Vivian Williams of West Point Elementary and Liam Hefflefinger of West Hempfield Elementary, looked determined, standing on the tips of their toes to reach the microphone placed on center stage.

Laughter floated through the audience when Caden Scarpo of Stanwood Elementary pumped his fist in the air after spelling “temperature” correctly.

Kost and 11 of her peers fell victim to a brutal fifth round with words including “lieutenant,” “industrious” and “luscious.”

Aquinas Academy student Olivia Chen took home first place in the seventh round; she won by spelling “pulmonary.”

Each contestant received a T-shirt and a gift bag.

Chen and her family will be invited to a Rotary luncheon, where she will be awarded a plaque and a tablet computer. Aquinas Elementary School will receive an engraved trophy to be put on display.

Chen also will be invited to ride in this year’s Greensburg Holiday Parade.