"Visibility" was the word South Point eighth-grader Athena Stanley needed to seal her win as the county’s spelling bee champion.

Wednesday, January 30, 2002

"Visibility" was the word South Point eighth-grader Athena Stanley needed to seal her win as the county’s spelling bee champion.

The 2002 Lawrence County Spelling Bee was held yesterday in the Common Pleas Courtroom at the courthouse. Two participants from each school – Dawson-Bryant, Fairland Local, Rock Hill Local, South Point Local, and Symmes Valley Local – participated in the bee after qualifying at their local school districts.

The bee went 11 rounds before Stanley spelled two words back-to-back for the win. She will advance to the Tri-State Spelling Bee at the Huntington, W.Va. Civic Arena on March 23 to represent the county in the competition.

"You’re all winners," Lawrence County Superintendent of Schools Harold Shafer said to the participants during the awards ceremony, which included trophies and alarm clocks for the participants, given by the Lawrence County Educational Service Center.

Dawson-Bryant eighth grader Aubrey Adkins came in second place.

In addition to Stanley and Adkins, Katey Willis of Dawson-Bryant; Elizabeth Ash and Aaron Lightner of Fairland; Holly Estep and Jazel DeAutremont of Rock Hill; Laura Cavalier of South Point; and Lindsay Baldwin and Julie Carter of Symmes Valley, participated in the event.