Columbiana County spelling champ Shaylynn Dennis successfully spelled her way to another day of competition Tuesday, qualifying for the Scripps National Spelling Bee quarterfinals which begin this morning.

The quarterfinals will be aired from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. today on the free streaming platform ION Plus.

The 14-year-old Beaver Local eighth grader made it through the preliminary rounds, correctly spelling “pruritus” in Round 1 and correctly identifying the word meaning of “cattalo” in Round 2, which is a hybrid between the American bison and domestic cow.

In Round 3, she correctly spelled “compathy” after asking for all the information possible and asking questions about the root, with a bee official telling her she was on the right track.

When contacted by phone after the preliminary rounds, Shaylynn said she had never heard the word “compathy” before, but was able to figure out the spelling based on the definition and root information.

“My favorite part of the competition has been qualifying for the quarterfinals,” she said.

Spelling that last word correctly immediately brought a smile to her face.

“I’m just very excited for her. Kind of speechless. We are just so proud of her,” Shaylynn’s mom Amanda said.

This is Shaylynn’s second trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee as Columbiana County champion. Last year, she went out in the third round so she’s already met her goal of lasting longer in the competition. At the end of three rounds, she’s one of 121 spellers advancing to the next phase out of 231 spellers who qualified for the national bee.

“Her confidence has grown. She’s more relaxed and more confident. We are super excited,” Amanda said.

After the quarterfinals this morning, the semifinals will take place from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. today, followed by the finals from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, with both televised live on ION.

Shaylynn’s trip to the nation’s capital was sponsored by the Salem News, East Liverpool Review and the Morning Journal, covering both her and one chaperone. Just like last year, her entire family made the trip, including her parents, Dave and Amanda, and her younger brothers, 11-year-old Lucas and 7-year-old Logan.

Besides the trip to Washington, D.C., as county champion she earned a plaque, The Samuel Louis Sugarman Award – a 2023 United States Mint Proof Set, a one-year subscription to Britannica Online Premium, and a one-year subscription to Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online, the official dictionary of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

According to the Scripps National Spelling Bee website at spellingbee.com, all quarterfinalists win a commemorative pin and a $100 gift card.

mgreier@mojonews.com