PROCTORVILLE — The Special Olympics spelling bee saw students from five schools compete Friday at the Ohio University Southern Proctorville Center.

“The spelling bee gives the students with developmental disabilities an opportunity to participate in the same activity as regular education students,” Fairland Middle School special education teacher and president of the Lawrence County Special Olympics committee Molly Fisher said.

“The only difference is everyone spells at their own level and it doesn’t have to be the same level as who you’re competing with.”

The bee was broken down into two classrooms, one with those in kindergarten through second grade, making up division I, and third, fourth and fifth graders, making up division II.

In the other classroom was division III of sixth, seventh and eighth graders and those in high school, making up division IV.

Winning first place in Division I was Riley Flowers, of Chesapeake Elementary School, Noah Clifton, of Rock Hill Elementary School in second and Brooklyn Edy, of Open Door School in third.

In division II, Jaden Robinson, of Open Door School, won first, Rebecca Thompson, of Chesapeake Elementary School, won second and Sabella Davis, of Rock Hill Elementary, third.

Winners of the middle school division were Johnathan Miller, of Ironton Middle School, in first, Ethan Rowan, of Open Door School, in second and Sethanie Matney, of Ironton Middle, in third. High school winners were Alex Beckett, of Open Door School, in first, Travis Ester, of Open Door School in second and Peyton Marks, of Chesapeake High School, in third.

All winners received a medal.

Judging the bee were Lisa Blake, Carla Daniel, Briana Dickess, Julie Mayo and Kim Wells.