Students spell s-u-c-c-e-s-s in Ottawa Co. Spelling Bee
The 18th Annual Ottawa County Spelling Bee for grades 5-8 was held on Feb. 8, at the Port Clinton City School District’s Performing Arts Center.

The four winners in Ottawa County included Port Clinton Middle School eighth-grader Gaberiel DeFreitas, first place; Woodmore Elementary School sixth-grader Jared Draeger, second place; Oak Harbor Middle School eighth grader Mary Greggila, third place and Port Clinton Middle School seventh- grader Alana Sutherland, fourth place.

Thirteen school buildings, comprised from six school districts and two parochial schools, participated in local competitions, sending 39 students to the county-wide competition.

The top four finishers will proceed to the 26th Annual Northwest Ohio Blade Championship Spelling Bee at Owens Community College on March 15.

Students participating at the Blade Bee have an opportunity to advance to the National Scripps Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

 
(Left to right) Alana Sutherland, Mary Greggila, Gaberiel DeFreitas, Jared Draeger.

Academic honors
Defiance College: Gene Snyder, of Elmore.

Ohio University: Kerry Quinn, Monika Appelhans, of Curtice; Jordan Spallino, Audra Smith, of Oregon; Aubrey Goetz, of Gibsonburg; Kayla Hammel, Christine Custer, of Lindsey; Grace Brikmanis, Jason Sharp, of Oak Harbor; Spencer Radcliffe, of Pemberville; Andrew Long, of Walbridge.

Marquette University: Tyler Bowlus, of Pemberville.

Mercy College: Ashley Pettit, of Moline.

Tiffin University: Cory Hornyak, Rebecca Sander, Lauren Grimm, of Genoa; Katrina Ross, of Gibsonburg; Jonathan Lester, of Millbury;  Erin Bell, of Walbridge; Britlyn Slaughter, of Oregon.

Police Academy graduates 12
Christopher Magi, of Oak Harbor, is among 12 area residents who completed the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy at Terra Community College.

The graduates are eligible to sit for the state certification exam.  Potential occupations for the academy graduates include dispatcher, police officer, sheriff’s deputy, correctional officer, parole officer, and campus and industrial security.

Maritime student earns honors
Nadia Bibbs, of Toledo, a freshman at The Maritime Academy of Toledo, was named a first-place winner in the 2011 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Art, Writing and Multimedia Contest sponsored by the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.  Only two winners were selected for each grade level.

Bibbs earned her honors in the ninth-grade writing portion of the statewide competition. Her winning essay focused on how one song, “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Roun,’” kept marchers going during the civil rights movement. She said the power behind the song could be used in everyday life for challenges we all face.

Bibbs, her teacher Kristie Stubleski, as well as family and friends, attended an award ceremony Feb. 24 in Columbus.

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