Lowrie travels to regionals in Spelling Bee
By Kelly Griffith-Fields news@bullardnews.com
The spelling started for Scott Lowrie, Bullard seventh grader before Christmas, but it ended with the word "hartebeest."

Lowrie

Before Christmas break a spelling test was given to all Bullard students, grades fourth-eighth.

Three students in most grade levels qualified for the Spelling Bee, although some grades had more qualify because of a tie.

Bullard's local Spelling Bee was held Jan. 24th, the finalists were 6th grader Jessi Bell; third place, 7th grader Daniel Armstrong; 2nd place and Lowrie for 1st place.

In the Smith County Spelling Bee, 14 contestants from Tyler, Lindale and Bullard schools competed and Scott Lowrie, son of Barbara and Kirk Lowrie, gained the right to compete in the Regional Bee.

"His dad and I were so proud that he won the local bee, won the county bee and just had the opportunity to participate at the regional bee," Mrs. Lowrie said.

There were 29 counties represented at the Regional Spelling Bee in Dallas.

The bee started with the regular spelling list developed by Scripps to use for the bees. The list was used for two rounds.

After the second round there were just 18 contestants left at which point the challenge words from the Scripps list were used. After the following 2 rounds just 6 students remained.

The counties still represented

were Smith, Panola, Cherokee, Denton, Collin and Hopkins.

Scott along with the boy from Cherokee county and the girl from Hopkins County went out in round five.

The words that were used starting in round five were not on the list that was used only as a guide--the contest states that words can come from the "Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged."

Scott missed the word "hartebeest."

"Scott told us later that when he spelled it, he wasn't sure if he was correct," Mrs. Lowrie said. "And when the judge moved his hand toward the buzzer, he knew he had missed it."

Scott said he was disappointed, but also encouraged by the fact that he could try again next year.

He was a winner just for being there his mother said.

"He worked really hard at learning the lists that were provided and studying what he could to prepare himself more," Mrs. Lowrie said. "He tied for fourth place -- what a great showing for a first timer."