TOP EIGHT — Earning the top eight places in the Boone County Spelling Bee were (front, l.-r.) 1st place Rachel Malander; tied for second place, Grace Tibor (St. Edward), Bradley Schindel (Boone Central), Isaak Welch (St. Edward); and back, l.-r.,Sadie Baldwin (Riverside), Ryan Kramer (St. Michael's), Gage Groeteke (St. Michael's), and Nathan Devine (Boone Central).
Rachel Malander, a seventh grader at St. Michael's School in Albion, was the winner of the 2017 Boone County Spelling Bee held Tuesday, Jan. 31, at Boone Central High School.
A total of 41 students from all Boone County schools competed in the contest, which was postponed from Jan. 24 due to inclement weather.
There was a three-way tie for second place between Bradley Schindel, Boone Central eighth grader; Isaak Welch, St. Edward eighth grader, and Grace Tibor, St. Edward sixth grader.
– Fifth place: Nathan Devine, Boone Central fifth grader.
Rachel will represent Boone County in the Midwest Spelling Bee at Omaha in March.