NIC hosts Inland Northwest Spelling Bee, winners head to D.C.

North Idaho College hosted the 23rd Inland Northwest Spelling Bee Saturday afternoon as sixth-grader Chase Miller of Kootenai Classical Academy was declared the champion to an explosion of confetti and applause after a tense final match.

The regional contest, which is organized by the Coeur d’Alene School District, calls on spellers from grades four to eight throughout six eastern Washington counties and five northern Idaho counties to compete annually. 

Both Miller and the second-place runner-up, seventh-grader Harper Adams, also of Kootenai Classical Academy, will be heading to Washington, D.C., to compete in the 101st Scripps National Spelling Bee, where a $50,000 cash prize will be awarded to first place.

Along with the trip to D.C., Miller will be receiving a $1,000 courtesy of the Idaho Character Foundation. This year, NIC is also awarding a $2,000 scholarship to first place, and $1,000 to both second and third place.

Division Chair of Communications Professor Joe Jacoby, who will be retiring later this year was welcomed onto the stage and thanked for his continued support of the Bee and his 18 years of work as pronouncer for the spelling bee.

 “I just wanted to say thank you to everyone,” Jacoby said. “I’ve had such a wonderful experience, and it’s been an honor serving the students and the spelling bee.”