Hays Qualifies For State Spelling Bee

Baylee Hays, a seventh-grade student at Frontier Schools, is preparing to take part in this year’s state spelling bee.

The county spelling bee was conducted as a written spelling and vocabulary test this year due to COVID precautions. Hays and Froid’s Marcie Elvsaas shared the top honors for the county.

“I think I’ve been extending my vocabulary more,” Hays said of her success. “I’ve been reading and writing a lot more.”

Her parents are Jonathan and Casey Cornett. Baylee’s grandfather, Keith Hays, is the principal at Frontier.

When she earned first at the school level, the competition was held in its traditional format. She was just hoping for the best at the county level.

“I did it for the fun of it, honestly,” Hays said.

The state competition will consist of a written test conducted on Sunday, March 21.

“I hope to do well,” she noted.

The national event will be showed by ESPN on July 8 will consist of about 10 to 12 students.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee has been promoting literacy since 1925. The event reaches 11 million students each year.