Scott Williams, swilliams@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Scott Williams Regional spelling bee coordinator Lois Graper, standing, outlines some of the rules before Tuesday’s championship at Clintonville High School.
Leader Photo by Scott Williams Bonduel seventh-grader Erin Timler, right, celebrates her championship with Bonduel teacher and spelling bee coordinator Jennie Beaumier.
Bonduel seventh-grader Erin Timler is on her way to the Badger State Spelling Bee after capturing the regional championship Tuesday at Clintonville High School.
Timler bested six other spellers from throughout the area in a fast-paced competition that was over within 30 minutes.
After correctly spelling “languish” to claim the regional title, Timler hoisted the trophy and began looking ahead to the state bee next month in Madison.
“I think I can do pretty well,” she said. “I’m pretty well prepared.”
Second place in the regional bee went to Emma Zwirschitz, an eighth-grader from St. Martin Lutheran School in Clintonville.
Zwirschitz stumbled in a vocabulary round when she selected the wrong definition for the word “latency.”
Other competitors included Joseph Menta, a seventh-grader from Shawano Community Middle School; Jaida Koehler, a fifth-grader from Olga Brener Intermediate School in Shawano; Selina Thiex, a sixth-grader from Bowler Elementary School; Amelia Rademacher, an eighth-grader from Tigerton Middle School; and Emma Allen, an eighth-grader from Clintonville Middle School.
Bee coordinator Lois Graper told all the competitors at the conclusion that they had performed well and had promising futures as students.
“I’m sure we’ll hear more from you in the future,” Graper said.
For Timler, the victory was especially sweet, considering that she made it this far two years ago only to fall short as the regional runner-up.
Jennie Beaumier, a Bonduel teacher who coordinated the Bonduel spelling bee, was in attendance Tuesday night and applauded Timler as a smart student who shows poise under pressure.
“I’m very proud of her,” Beaumier said. “She’s a hard worker, and she puts everything into it.”
Held in the auditorium at Clintonville High School, the event attracted many parents and other spectators to cheer on the competitors, who were seated alongside one another on stage under the lights.
Three competitors were eliminated quickly after misspelling “commandeer,” “philharmonic” and “methodology.” Others advanced by successfully navigating “query,” “esoteric,” “tranquil” and “braille,” among others.
A bit of an issue arose when the competition came down to Timler and Zwirschitz, and an audience member questioned whether vocabulary rounds were still permitted under the rules with only two competitors left. After officials decided to move forward as planned, Zwirschitz missed her next vocabulary word, clearing the way for Timler to take the title.
Timler celebrated with family and friends, saying she looked forward to the state spelling bee.
The 12-year-old enjoys basketball, soccer and cross-country, plays tenor sax in the school band, and says her favorite subject is math.
Her mother, Stacy Timler, said the new regional champion is an accomplished student and a veteran spelling bee competitor.
“I think she can do well,” her mother said. “She seems to handle all the pressure.”