Barking Points: Bi-County Academic Competition

LRMS Student Correspondent

Competition is a healthy motivation to strive further in school, sports, work, and life. To gain respect for yourself and your school by succeeding above all else is a sought after accomplishment, as demonstrated for Lind-Ritzville Middle School in the Bi-County Academic Competition. Bi-County Academic Competition is an annual event that provides students the opportunity to prove their intellectual prominence over other local middle schools. Historically, Lind and Ritzville together have been successful at the competition, and this year’s LRMS representatives have high expectations for the outcome on March 13.

Bi-County Academic Competition, often referred to throughout Lind-Ritzville as ‘Bi-County’ for short, allows local schools to compete in a variety of subjects to show their academic strength. During the competition, representatives from each school disperse to different locations across a Bi-County school campus to have their specific talents be tested and judged. After the results have been compiled, an awards ceremony is held to commemorate the top six or seven victors.

Each subject, including an oral spelling bee, impromptu, persuasive, and interpretive speeches, a geography test and a math test, requires additional studying and preparation in addition to the students’ usual rigorous schedules. Janna Gingrich is working to coordinate Ritzville Grade School’s participants in the competition.

She said, “Bi-County preparation requires students to go above and beyond the requirements of the classroom. Students must do a lot of the preparation on their own in order to be successful at the contest.”

The location for Bi-County Academic Competition is on a two-year rotation around each of the Bi-County schools, and will be hosted this year by Wilbur.

Bi-County is not only an opportunity for hard working students to be praised for their scholarship, but also a chance for students to compete outside of an athletic setting.

Rita Fryberger, who is coordinating Lind Grade School and Lind-Ritzville Middle School’s participation in the competition, stated, “It’s important for students to have an audience other than teachers purely at school. Some students take more seriously.” Bi-County shows the students that their push towards well-rounded knowledge is well worth their time and efforts.

Fryberger continued, “I do think it reinforces skills taught in the classroom. It gives students the opportunity to show their gifts and talents.”

There are 41 students Lind Grade School, Ritzville Grade School, and Lind-Ritzville Middle School representing the district, and many of them have high hopes for the competition. The spelling portion of the competition from Ritzville Grade School includes third grade, Trever Bailey and Taylor Galbreath; fourth grade, Sydney Kinch and Lauren Miller; and fifth grade, Drew Kelly and Nyleana Bailey. Lind Grade School spellers will consist of third grade, Canyen Whitaker and Thane Akins; fourth grade, Wyatt Kulm and Amy Anderson; fifth grade, Korinna Curtis and Ava Akins. LRMS representatives are sixth grade, Spencer Gering and Taelor Umland; seventh grade, Caden Liberty and Bryce Hansen; and eighth grade, Tucker Guiles and Alarah Pierce-Pulliam.

Representatives for impromptu speeches include RGS fifth grader, Gus Tracy (with the possibility of alternate, Conrad Ziemer); LGS fifth grader, Douglas Morris, as well as LRMS sixth grader, Eliza Galbreath; seventh grader, Matthew Pence; and eighth grader, Claire Roettger.

Students performing interpretive speeches include Jay Harder from RGS fifth grade, Cailey Vallone-Boettcher from sixth grade, Sharon Anderson from seventh grade, and Megan Buriak from eighth grade.

Persuasive speeches will be presented from Andrea Novoa-Guizar from LGS fifth grade, Julia Klein from RGS fifth grade, Ellie Gering from sixth grade, Brooke Koch from seventh grade, and Sierra Kiel from eighth grade.

Students going to Bi-County for geography are Noah Weiszbrod from RGS fifth grade, Katheran Gingrich from sixth grade, Eric Hayes from seventh grade, and Emma Aldrich from eighth grade.

Representatives for math will include: LGS fifth grade, Paulina Calderon; RGS fifth grade Linnea Schafer; sixth grade, Tamera Wolf; seventh grade, Brianna Kincade; and finally, eighth grade, Peyton Curtis.

Reflecting on this year’s LRMS Bi-County roster, Fryberger said, “We do have some naturally good speakers that I believe will do well. We also have some naturally gifted spellers that will do well too.”

Gingrich added, “With continued practice, I know this year’s RGS representatives will do well. They have demonstrated commitment and self-discipline. We have several alternates, too, this year who have worked hard and are ready to represent RGS if needed at the last minute.”