A Victory spelled C-O-O-P-E-R

With each round, Cooper Smith's confidence rose like a tidal wave as his competition evaporated

Saturday, April 1st, the Wyoming State Spelling Bee took place in Rock Springs at Western Wyoming Community College.  Cooper Smith, a sixth grader from Saratoga won the competition and will represent the State of Wyoming in Washington D.C., two months from now.  

According to a press release, no one from the state has ever won the national contest.  The contest itself started back in 1925.  Officials said the words this year were difficult. Fifty eight participants started the competition in the written round. To advance the competitor had to spell 27 out of 50 words correctly.  This narrowed the competition down to 25 competitors.  

Cooper Smith's trip to Washington D.C. will be paid for by the Sweetwater Board of Cooperative Educational Services (SBOCES).  SBOCES has been the main sponsor for the Wyoming Spelling Been for many years.

Cooper said that throughout the whole thing he was pretty nervous.  "It's a big thing because I get to go on to Nationals in Washington D.C.  and that's a pretty cool experience," said Cooper.   

"I practiced a lot so that was a pretty easy word to spell".  "I had a lot of belief because I knew it would be over after that and I would win." 

Cooper said he studied every night to prepare for the competition.  He practiced word lists that were much higher than the 6th grade level.  

Cooper started at the local competition in Rawlins, where he qualified for the state competition.  

 

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