Students make spelling bee top 20

The top three from the Thermopolis Middle School spelling bee on March 2 — Josiah Butler first, Hayden Mayne second and Madeline Wagler third — traveled to Rock Springs last week to compete in the Wyoming State Spelling Bee.

The state competition includes a 75-word written preliminary round and 27 rounds of oral competition.

There were about 60 total participants, and after the first round they took the top 33 for the oral round. All three spellers made it to the oral round, a first for the school, and also made the top 20.

The state spelling bee was sponsored by the Newell B. Sargent Foundation, Wyoming Community Foundation’s Rock Springs Local Board and hosted by Western Wyoming Community College.