030617...R SPELLING BEE 1...Champion...03-06-17...2017 Tribune Spelling Bee Winner Jeremy Slywczak, 12, Badger Middle School, center, is presented the Championship trophy by Dr. Lance Grahn, Dean, Kent State University Trumbull Campus, along with Tribune Chronicle Publisher Charles Jarvis...by R. Michael Semple

CHAMPION — It took 21 rounds and nearly 200 words for Badger Middle School student Jeremy Slywczak to emerge victorious Monday at the 26th annual Tribune Chronicle Scripps Spelling Bee.

Slywczak, 12, correctly spelled “ratify” and “particle” to best about 30 other competitors from around Trumbull County at the bee at Kent State University at Trumbull, which again this year was a co-sponsor. Spellers, who ranged from second to eighth grade, competed for about 90 minutes before Slywczak, a sixth-grader, was crowned champion.

He now goes on to compete in the 2017 Scripps National Spelling Bee finals May 28 to June 2 in Washington, D.C.

“I studied and practiced a lot. The only word I was not sure of tonight was when I had to spell ‘mandir,'” said Slywczak, the son of Richard and Jennifer Slywczak. “My father pronounced it differently, that is why I asked for the origin.”

This was Slywczak’s fourth time competing in the bee.

For winning, Slywczak receives a one-year subscription to the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary online; the Samuel Louis Sugarman Award, a 2017 U.S. Mint Proof Set; a one-year subscription to Britannica Online Premium; and a $25 Amazon.com gift card from the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

In addition, KSU at Trumbull pledged to provide Slywczak with a $4,000 scholarship if he chooses to attend the school.

Finishing second was Parker Paniagua, 14, an eighth-grade student at Champion Middle School, who participated in his fifth bee on Monday. In third place was Riki Kaiser, 13, an eighth-grade student at of Bloomfield Middle School, who was champion in 2016, and finishing fourth was Isabella Pinto, 11, a seventh-grade student at Bristol Junior High School. This was Kaiser’s fourth time participating in the bee and Pinto’s second.

Paniagua received a Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Eleventh Edition and a $25 Amazon.com gift card from Scripps National Bee. Kaiser and Pinto each received a $25 gift certificate from the Tribune Chronicle.

Also, if they choose to attend KSU at Trumbull, Paniagua will receive $2,000 scholarship and Kaiser and Pinto will each receive a $1,000 scholarship.

All spellers receieved a certificate of participation and a gift from KSU at Trumbull.

Lance Grahn, dean and chief administrative officer at KSU at Trumbull, said the college is honored to host the event.

“You have all done a great job and represent our local academic and intellectual talent. The talent that we have seen displayed tonight is amazing for you to stand there in front of the judges and spell words correctly,” Grahn said.

Judges for the event were Grahn; F. Len Blose, general manager of the Tribune Chronicle; and Rich Zigarovich, supervisor of school improvement / special education at Trumbull County Educational Service Center.

Pronouncer was Patricia McFall, whose four children have each competed in the bee and won a total of eight times.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com