Town & County News

Isaac Brogan to Represent County at Scripps National Spelling Bee

The WFCU Scripps Regional Spelling Bee was held at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts on Sunday, March 26. It featured Jim Crichton of CTV Windsor fame as the Host, and Windsor Star Managing Editor Craig Pearson as the Pronouncer. It was sponsored by WFCU and the St. Clair College Alumni Association.

Following an intensive and exciting afternoon competition of elementary school students from across Windsor-Essex County, Isaac Brogan, a grade five student at Maranatha Christian Academy in Windsor, has been named the 2023 WFCU Credit Union Scripps Regional Spelling Bee champion, successfully spelling the winning word “conundrum.”

With 25 finalists competing, this year’s Bee, now in its fifth year, saw the largest number of Windsor-Essex County schools competing. In addition to a six-night trip to Washington, D.C. for the Scripps National Spelling Bee this June 2023, WFCU has also awarded Isaac a $200 Educational Scholarship.

It was a close and competitive event, going 20 rounds before the Champion Word round, where Isaac successfully spelled his final word and was named champion. Congratulations also goes to runner-up Benjamin DiDomenico, a grade six student from St. Joseph’s Catholic Elementary School in Amherstburg.

“Providing youth with opportunities for growth and development is an important part of our mission and our commitment to the communities we operate in,” said Eddie Francis, President and CEO of WFCU Credit Union.

“We’re proud to continue our annual sponsorship of the Windsor-Essex Scripps Regional Spelling Bee to foster learning and healthy competition in a fun and interactive way. Congratulations to Isaac and his family. We will be cheering you on this June!”

Grade 5 student Isaac Brogan stands with other spelling bee contestants

Earlier this year, WFCU hosted the inaugural ECU – A Division of WFCU Credit Union Scripps Regional Spelling Bee in the Waterloo Region, bolstering its community support and programming for its growing TriCity membership. As part of WFCU’s community engagement program, Inspire, the Regional Spelling Bees promote literacy and language arts in an engaging way.

They also align with the Credit Union’s mission to support organizations and individuals that contribute to the well-being of the community, with particular emphasis on youth, education and health.

Isaac will now advance to compete in the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee held near Washington, D.C., where he will be competing against hundreds of students from around the world. The highly-anticipated event will be televised on ION, the Bee’s broadcast home.

In addition to flight and accommodations during the event and a $200 Educational Scholarship on behalf of WFCU Credit Union, Isaac has also won the following:

  • The Samuel Louis Sugarman Award – a 2023 United States Mint Proof Set provided by Jay Sugarman, chairman and CEO of iStar Financial, in honour of his father
  • The Britannica Online Premium – a one-year subscription for the premier online resource from Encyclopedia Britannica
  • The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online – a one-year subscription for the official word source for all levels of competition for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

“We were very proud of every student who competed at this year’s event,” said Beth Ann Prince, Manager, Member Engagement & Community Investment, WFCU Credit Union.

“Taking the stage took bravery, confidence and concentration. You are all champions and exemplify the spirit of the Bee. I’d also like to thank all of the participating schools and teachers who invested time in the program. We hope to see you again next year!”

To learn more about the Scripps National Spelling Bee, visit www.spellingbee.com

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