North Idaho speller out of Scripps Spelling Bee
DEVIN WEEKS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years AGO
Lakes Middle School eighth-grader Emmie Rakes competes in the 94th Scripps National Spelling Bee outside Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. Emmie went out in the first round after misspelling "gaillardia," a type of flower.
Alex Brandon/AP
Devin Weeks is a third-generation North Idaho resident. She holds an associate degree in journalism from North Idaho College and a bachelor's in communication arts from Lewis-Clark State College Coeur d'Alene. Devin embarked on her journalism career at the Coeur d'Alene Press in 2013. She worked weekends for several years, covering a wide variety of events and issues throughout Kootenai County. Devin now mainly covers K-12 education and the city of Post Falls. She enjoys delivering daily chuckles through the Ghastly Groaner and loves highlighting local people in the Fast Five segment that runs in CoeurVoice. Devin lives in Post Falls with her husband and their three eccentric and very needy cats. | June 2, 2022 1:06 AM
Outgoing Lakes Middle School eighth-grader Emerson "Emmie" Rakes went out on the word "gaillardia" during the first round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
"I hoped to do better, but it's been an amazing experience," Emmie told The Press on Tuesday. "I appreciate the opportunity to come to Bee Week."
A total of 234 spellers competed during the first day of the 94th Scripps Bee, which is being held in the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. This is the first fully in-person Scripps Bee since 2019.
Nearly 40 spellers were eliminated during the first round.
"We're off to explore the greater D.C. area," said Emmie's mom, Lisa Rakes. "The words here are insane and the kids spelling them are incredible."
Emmie won the North Idaho Spelling Bee in February after the bee was on hiatus for two years. It was sponsored by the Coeur d’Alene Press for 17 years and overseen by North Idaho College. In 2020, NIC sponsored and oversaw the competition, then announced its retirement from the bee. The competition was then picked up by the Idaho Character Foundation, which promotes character excellence throughout the community.
The 2022 Scripps National Bee will make its primetime TV debut when it airs live on ION at 5 p.m. today.
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