Missouri Christian school 7th grader named county spelling bee champ

St. Joseph Christian School seventh-grader Owen Herzog took top honors in the Buchanan County, Missouri spelling bee Feb. 3.

Herzog was named spelling bee champion after out-spelling 100 students from 23 area schools, mostly public schools, competing for the top spot. The competition is open to students in grades 5-8.

Eighth grader Devin DeSpain, representing Truman Middle School, was named runner up. 

Herzog represented St. Joseph Christian at the county bee after winning his classroom and school-level spelling competitions. He told local media he was concerned he hadn’t prepared enough to place in the county-wide competition.  

“I wanted to get top ten, but with how much I practiced, I might not have gotten quite that high,” he said. 

“It’s really exciting, we’re very, very proud,” Owen’s mother, Sarah Herzog told the St. Joseph News-Press. “And it was a nail-biter, so we’re coming down from the nerves.” 

Both Herzog and DeSpain will advance to their regional spelling bee, set for March 2.