The 2023 Warren County Spelling Bee features students who have come out on top of spelling competitions at their respective schools.

At 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, Moderator Kelli Knapp, executive director of Warren Public Library, will start challenging students with a list of progressively more difficult words until only one competitor remains. She will rely on three judges – Youngsville Borough Police Chief Todd Mineweaser, Warren County School District Safety and Security Officer Brandon Deppen, and Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry Director of Chamber Operations and Tourism John Papalia – to help make determinations on spellings throughout the event.

The number of representatives from each school is dependent upon the number of students in grades five through eight at those schools. Every school is invited to send at least one student. The school with the most fifth- through eighth-graders – Beaty-Warren Middle School – qualifies for five competitors.

The spellers – arranged by home school – are:

Chance Stover

Vance Darr – eighth grade; Liam Ferry – seventh; Emily Shepherd – eighth; Macy Greenawalt – eighth; and Broc Bryan – seventh, Beaty;

RJ Frederick – fifth, Eisenhower Elementary School;

Libby VanHouten – sixth; and Paul Mandeville – sixth, Eisenhower Middle High School;

John Harvey – fifth, St. Joseph Catholic School;

Lucas Joblon – fifth, Sheffield Elementary School;

Chase May

Zeke Lindsey – eighth, Sheffield Area Middle High School;

Lainey DeVore – eighth, Tidioute Community Charter School;

Chance Stover – sixth, Warren County Christian School;

Skylar Birchard – fifth, Youngsville Elementary School; and

Gabby Hodak – seventh; and Chase May – eighth, Youngsville Middle High School.

Emily Shepherd

The alternates, who will replace the representatives of their schools should they be unable to attend, are:

Addison Blair – eighth; and Eden Chapple – sixth, Beaty;

Oliver Jespersen – fifth, EES;

Ryan Huck – seventh; and Alexa Guiley – eighth, EMHS;

Richard Anderson – fifth, St. Joseph;

Gabby Hodak

Anna Dysinger – fifth, SES;

Riley Grubbs – sixth, SAMHS;

Jillian Conklin – eighth, TCCS;

Marilyn Emery – eighth, WCCS;

Jocelyn Petachi – fifth, YES; and

John Harvey

Hannah Gentz – eighth; and Desteny Mennetti – eighth, YMHS.

The winner of the county bee will be eligible to participate in the Western Pennsylvania Spelling Bee, March 4, at Robert Morris University. The second-place winner will serve as the county’s alternate.

Lainey DeVore

Liam Ferry

Libby VanHouten

Lucas Joblon

Macy Greenawalt

Paul Mandeville

RJ Frederic

Skylar Birchard

Vance Darr

Zeke Lindsey