HIRAM — A Sacopee Valley Middle School student edged out an Oxford Hills Middle School seventh-grader to win the Oxford County spelling bee Thursday night.

Olivia Ruhlin, a seventh-grader won by correctly spelling “affiliation” in the 10th round of competition, after knocking out six other contenders.

Dylan Casey of Harrison from came in second after misspelling “hysterical.”

“I realized what letter I messed up on when I sat down and thought about it,” said Casey. He spelled it with an “i” in place of the “y.”

  Ruhlin will go to the state championship bee March 20 at the University of
Southern Maine Community Education Center in Portland. It begins at 2 p.m. Casey will be the alternate in case Ruhlin is unable to attend. 

Bee master Stephanie Dixon, a gifted and talented teacher at the Sacopee Valley Middle School, presented each word to the students, who sat on chairs on a stage in the auditorium. About 30 parents and other family members and friends watched.

Karen James, a member of the Hiram School Board, and June Ferland, an elementary Title 1 teacher in the Hiram school system, were judges.

Suzanne Day, principal of the South Hiram Elementary School and the coordinator for this year’s Oxford County spelling bee, said she was not surprised by the lack of participation because of the budgetary constraints on schools and the $100 registration fee each school must pay to participate.

Students participating were: Bronson Dean, eighth grade at Telstar Middle School in Bethel, and his alternate Zac Wheeler, seventh grade; Casey and his alternate, Howard Washburn, sixth grade at Paris Elementary School, who was not at the competition but received a certificate and ribbon along with the other students for their achievement in making it to the county bee.

Also participating were: Jackson Miner, seventh grade at Sacopee Valley Middle School in Hiram, and Ruhlin; Mariah Magee, sixth grade at Molly Ockett Middle School in Fryeburg, and her alternate, Matthew Boucher, sixth grade at the same school.

Last month, Casey won the local spelling bee out of almost three dozen students representing the middle school and elementary schools across the Oxford Hills School District. He correctly spelled “palatable.”

“He’s just always been a good speller,” said his mother, Amanda Casey.

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Dylan Casey and his 6-year-old sister Briana, a student at the Harrison Elementary School, admire the trophey Casey won for his second-place showing in the Oxford County Spelling Bee at Sacopee Valley Middle School in Hiram on Thursday. Briana said she would like to be a good speller just like her big brother.

Oxford County Spelling Bee winner Olivia Ruhlin of Hiram and second-place winner Dylan Casey of Harrison wait for the final championship round after other students were eliminated from competition Thursday night at Sacopee Valley Middle School in Hiram.