With the spread of acronyms and slang abbreviations permeating social media these days, correct spelling of words is taking a beating.

Not for Superior seventh grade student Abigail Wheeler and others who assembled in the Superior Elementary School gym last week to test their spelling skills.

Wheeler turned her knowledge of spelling into a trip to the Montana State Spelling Bee championships next month by correctly spelling the word “dough” to win the 2020 Mineral County Spelling Bee last week.

Fifty students from fourth through eighth grade from Superior, Alberton and St. Regis registered to compete in the contest, with 36 present for the February 18 showdown.

Several weeks earlier, Wheeler won the Superior schools spelling bee by spelling the word “teak.”

In the county finals, which went 23 rounds before a champion was crowned, Wheeler edged out Alberton seventh-grader Raeleen Czerp-Davis for the title.

She will now represent Mineral County at the state finals, to be held in Bozeman, Saturday, March 14. The winner of that contest will earn the right to represent Montana in the national finals.

Third place in the Mineral County contest went to Superior seventh-grader Addison Martin.

This year’s county-wide contest surpassed the 17 rounds Wheeler overcame to win the town title.