YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — The Mahoning Valley’s two experienced spellers competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which started Wednesday, have advanced.
231 spellers started the competition, and 73 are left, including our two locals. The quarterfinals just wrapped up, and the semifinals are happening Wednesday night.
The big contest takes place Thursday night.
Joey Constantine is a seventh grader at Lakeview Middle School. He finished in a tie for 32nd place last year. Shaylynn Dennis is an 8th grader at Beaver Local Middle School. She’s returning to the bee, too, after finishing in 89th place a year ago.
Both Dennis and Constantine passed the first preliminary round on Tuesday. Dennis correctly spelled pruritus, and Constantine correctly spelled enoptromancy.
The competition begins Wednesday with 231 spellers. You can watch it on Wednesday and Thursday on ION from 8 to 10 p.m.
