Katy Wolfe, a Vale fourth-grader, holds up her prize money on Thursday, March 13, after winning the Malheur County Spelling Bee. Wolfe is the youngest county spelling bee champion. (Contributed photo)
A Vale Elementary School student is now Malheur County’s youngest Spelling Bee champion.
Vale fourth grader Katy Wolfe took top honors at the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13.
Katy won by spelling the word “collage.” She earned a $500 prize.
Her championship came after she won the nearly 20-round fourth-grade competition.
In the finals, she faced Alexis Camarillo, an eighth grader from Nyssa and the 2024 Malheur County Spelling Bee champion. Katy won after five rounds. Last year, Katy took second.
Camilla Rivera, an Ontario Middle School sixth grader, took second overall, and Alexis took third.
Matt Murray, federal programs director and former principal of Nyssa Elementary School, said more than 100 students across the county competed in the spelling bee. He said the event drew about 200 spectators.
Murray said that while collage might not sound like a difficult word to spell, none of the words in the championship rounds were given to the students before the competition.
Murray said that some of the words the students got ahead of time included “euphoria,” “sentient,” “juncture,” and “accommodations.”
Katy said she spelled the word “stylistic” to win the fourth-grade round.
Katy said she was “really happy” to have won the spelling bee.
She said she practiced daily for about a month leading up to the competition.
Katy’s mother, Deborah Wolfe, a Vale music teacher, said Katy practiced spelling random words that she picked.
Wolfe said a couple of years ago, at the top of Katy’s Christmas list was a thesaurus so she could enhance her vocabulary.
“She just loves to learn,” Wolfe said. “She loves lots of different things about school.”
Katy said she and her twin sister Emily recently started a family newspaper, “Nugget of News.” Katy has her own column, “Katy’s Chronicle,” and her sister’s is dubbed “Emily’s Enterprise.”
Wolfe said Katy also enjoys crossword puzzles and word games from the New York Times.
Katy said she is saving her prize money for college.
News tip? Send your information to Steven Mitchell at [email protected].
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Katy Wolfe, a Vale fourth-grader, holds up her prize money with Ryan Hawkins, superintendent of the Nyssa School District, on Thursday, March 13, after winning the Malheur County Spelling Bee. (Contributed photo)
Vale’s Katy Wolfe spells out a word during the early going of the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13. Brooke Chamberlain, a Willowcreek student, spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the Malheur County Spelling Bee. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Talia Reed, an Ontario student, competes in the Malheur County Spelling Bee on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)
A young competitor reacts as an opponent spells out a word at the Malheur County Spelling Bee on Thursday, March 13, at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, at the Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor reacts as an opponent spells out a word on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A student waits to compete on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)
A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Competitors at the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee react as a fellow opponent spells out a word on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Adrian’s Collin Martin spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)
A competitor listens as a judge tells her the word she must spell during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A competitor listens as a judge tells her the word she must spell during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Students wait to compete on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A sizable crowd attended the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)
A young competitor takes a break between rounds on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Ontario hopefuls post for photos on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Matt Murray, federal programs director and former principal of Nyssa Elementary School, makes an announcement on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A student prepares for competition on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)The Malheur County Spelling Bee mascot awaits students on Thursday, March 13 at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Nayton Walsh, an Adrian third grade student, spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. Nayton won the third grade round and took fourth overall in the competition. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)
Young spelling bee hopefuls reflect on the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee competition at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13. A competitor listens as a judge tells her the word she must spell during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Over 100 people attended the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Nayton Walsh, an Adrian third grade student, hugs family members on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Competitors at the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee react as a fellow opponent spells out a word on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor takes a break between rounds on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A student competes at the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A competitor listens as a judge tells her the word she must spell during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor takes a break between rounds on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)An Ontario student competes at the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)An Ontario competitor listens as a judge tells him the word he must spell during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor takes a break between rounds on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Judges kept notes during the competition. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Lillydonna Webb, an Adrian second grade student, reacts to the judge at the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Judges kept notes during the competition. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)The Four Rivers Community School team on Thursday, March 13, ahead of the Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School, pose for a photo. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A competitor listens as a judge tells her the word she must spell during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)
A young competitor spells out a word on Thursday, March 13, during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A competitor listens as a judge tells him the word he must spell during the ninth annual Malheur County Spelling Bee at Nyssa Elementary School on Thursday, March 13. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)
