Sasha Kenlon is queen of the bee.
The Ecker Hill Middle School seventh-grader dominated at the Park Record Regional Spelling Bee, taking home the crown for the second consecutive year. Kenlon and about 20 other spellers from elementary and middle school classrooms across the Wasatch Back competed in eight rounds on Wednesday night for the chance to represent Summit County at the Scripps National Spelling Bee this spring.
Kenlon and Charlotte Sullivan, a seventh-grader from Timpanogos Middle School, were the final two standing after the sixth round of the regional spelling bee knocked out a trio of contestants.
Sullivan was able to spell “cymbals,” “Arthurian,” “bachelorette,” “Disneyfication,” “dalmatian” and “zeppelin,” but she was eliminated from the competition after stumbling over the spelling of “impetus” — adding the letter o — and earning the title of runner up.
Twelve-year-old Kenlon advanced to the final round when she correctly spelled “gingivitis,” imagining a poster at her dentist’s office as she recalled the letters. Then, she smiled as pronouncer Kirsten Nilsson, a youth services librarian with the Summit County Library, announced the championship word: krypton. Her younger brother is obsessed with superheroes.
Without hesitation, Kenlon effortlessly recited “Krypton. K-R-Y-P-T-O-N. Krypton.”
The Park City Library’s Jim Santy Auditorium erupted into applause as competitors and spectators congratulated Kenlon on her achievement. The middle school student said she felt less nervous in the spotlight this year compared to last, and she also felt more prepared.
“I didn’t really feel a ton of pressure since I had already gone to nationals, and this one was just icing on top of the cake,” Kenlon said. “I can’t believe I won again.”
She was one of about 40 students from Summit and Wasatch counties who competed in the Park Record spelling bee earlier this week. The newspaper’s owners, Tatiana and Matthew Prince, revived the local competition last year after a pandemic-induced hiatus.
The two-day event started on Tuesday with the junior bee, where 26 students in second-through-fifth grades competed for a chance to advance to the regional bee the following night. The top-five spellers then joined 19 other students in grades six to eight.
Organizers view the spelling bee as an opportunity to promote literacy and celebrate the accomplishments of local youth. It’s also a way to build community.
The spelling bee took place in rounds, with each student given the chance to spell one word. They were allowed to ask questions such as alternative pronunciations, definitions, the origin of the word and for it to be used in a sentence. This also helped ensure everyone knew what word they were being asked to spell.
Throughout the competition, the children remained supportive and encouraging of each other. Several exchanged fist bumps or smiles of encouragement as their peers were eliminated and exited the stage.
Kenlon studied by writing down the spelling list every other day — a less strict regime than last year — to practice and memorize the words. Her 9-year-old brother, Wesley, a fourth-grader at Weilenmann School of Discovery, participated in the junior spelling bee. If he had advanced to the regional bee, Kenlon would have encouraged their mom to root for him instead.
Now, Kenlon said she’ll continue studying for Bee Week in May. She’s less nervous heading into the Scripps National Spelling Bee this year, feeling better prepared for the competition after finishing 192 out of 245 in 2024.
“I’m going to remind myself it’s just a fun spelling competition and not the end of the world if you get out. I’m probably going to try to enjoy myself a bit more,” Kenlon said.
The middle schooler is also excited about reconnecting with the friends she made last year as well as making new ones. While in D.C., the Kenlons plan to spend time with family in the area and visit more Smithsonian museums.
When she isn’t practicing her vocabulary list, Kenlon enjoys participating in pottery classes at the Kimball Art Center, a set design camp through the Egyptian YouTheatre program, Girl Scouts and archery. She also plays several instruments including the trumpet and enjoys classes such as coding, band, science and English language arts, of course.
Kenlon wants to be an author, geologist and/or quantum physicist when she grows up.
Noah Squadroni, 9, pauses to think about the spelling of his word on the first night of the spelling bee. He is a fourth grader at Soaring Wings International Montessori School. Credit: Clayton Steward/Park Record 
City Councilor Ryan Dickey, who served as the emcee for night two of the spelling bee, thanks the families and congratulates all the spellers that competed. Credit: Clayton Steward/Park Record 
Henry Lees, 10, looks at the judging table, anxiously in wait to hear if he spelled his word correctly. Lees is a fourth grader at Trailside Elementary school. Credit: Clayton Steward/Park Record