A-N-O-M-A-L-Y: Winners flummoxed by spelling bee outcome

The lone participant in last Thursday’s Lake County Spelling Bee who was not eligible for the state contest was also the only speller with a perfect record: Heidi Huber of Bigfork.

The fourth-grade homeschooler carefully and correctly spelled anthropology and liturgy to win the 60th annual bee, held on the stage at Arlee High School. She survived six rounds with a flawless record, competing against 30 students in grades 4-8 from Polson, Arlee, St. Ignatius and Charlo.

Unfortunately, because she was unaffiliated with any of the four school districts that had paid the fee required by the national sponsor, Scripps, she won’t be representing Lake County in next month’s Treasure State Spelling Bee.

Instead, the second-place winner, Charlo sixth grader Apollonia Hall, will take the stage in Bozeman March 22. She’s experienced, having won last year’s county bee and competed at the state level in 2024.

She lost her crown this year when she flubbed addendum.

Lake County School Superintendent Carolyn Hall described the situation as “very unusual.” She added that in the six decades Lake County has hosted bees as part of the Scripps competition, there has never been a winning speller who couldn’t attend the state bee because they hadn’t paid the requisite fee.

Hall added that she and many of her peers across Montana “are fed up with Scripps for holding kids (who don’t pay the fee) hostage.”

Heidi, however, seemed pleased with her accomplishment. “I feel pretty happy and surprised,” she said. “I didn't really expect to win.”

She attributes her spelling prowess to reading lots of books. “She reads all the time,” chimed in her sister.

Heidi’s mom, Kelsey, said the family is registered in Lake County to homeschool and was notified of the opportunity to participate in the county bee without having registered through a school.

“We thought we'd just try it out this year, and she won!”

They might compete again next year, especially if they can organize a group of homeschool students to pay the entry fee, which is currently $185 for school districts or a homeschool group or $135 for a single family.

Apollonia, while pleased to be making another trip to Bozeman, was philosophical about the outcome. 

“As my dad's parents used to say, if we win we to go to Dairy Queen, if we lose, we go to Dairy Queen. So, either way, it's good,” she said. “I mean, of course I'd like to go to state and all and have fun, but she truly won. I feel kind of bad that she couldn't go.”

Apollonia also credits reading with her spelling success. “I didn't really practice the words a lot, but I just read a lot of books, and I skimmed around in the dictionary,” she said.

Also dramatic was the fierce competition for second and third (or third and fourth, depending on which outcome you’re tallying). 

Eliana Wood, a seventh grader from St. Ignatius, and Kalani Rioux, an eighth grader from Arlee, batted words back and forth, like an interminable ping-pong rally. The winner of the run-off had to spell two consecutive words correctly, and each kept stumbling, giving the opponent a second chance. Finally, Eliana delivered tabulate after Kalani bumbled assailant, making them second and third place spellers for purposes of the state competition.

Confused yet? Let’s review this again: Who won the Lake County bee? Heidi. Who placed second in the county bee but goes to state? Apollonia. Who placed third in the county bee, but is the runner up and goes to state if Apollonia can’t make it? Eliana. And who came in fourth but placed third as far as the state is concerned? Kalani.

Hall points out that this marked Lake County’s 60th spelling bee, and the nation’s 100th. “We had our own little fireworks going!”

    Sixth grader Apollonia Hail of Charlo, last year's champion speller, finished second in this year's county bee. The eventual winner, Heidi Huber, waits her turn. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
  

    Eliana Wood of St. Ignatius and Kalani Rioux of Arlee claimed second and third places at the Lake County Spelling Bee last Thursday after a lengthy spell-off that included such challenging words as charismatic and anonymous. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
  

    Speller gets the covets "correct" sign from judges Paula Holle and Jim Gillhouse during last week's county spelling bee. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)