The 9th Annual Rotary Spelling Bee brought to you by Lighthouse Private Wealth and Presented by YourTV returned on Saturday May 13, 2023, after taking a COVID-19 break.

Held at Fleming College’s Whetung Theatre, the event featured over 90 students divided into two groups: Junior (Grades 4 to 6) and Senior (Grades 7 and 8), all of whom first won the spelling bees at their schools.

In the Junior division, first place went to Olivia Jones of St. Catherine Catholic School, second place to Arthur Zadro of Our Lady of the Wayside Academy and third place to Kaiden Surphlis of James Strath Public School.

In the Senior division, first place went to Noah Hoffman of Kenner Intermediate School, second place to Sonny Gillis of St. Catherine Catholic School and and third place to Crepe Cochrane of Adam Scott Intermediate School.

The top three spellers from each division won valuable prizes for themselves as well as literacy funding for their schools: $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $250 for third place.