Lauren Ritz honored as spelling bee champ

Champion speller: Lauren Ritz, 13, of New Castle, Pa., a seventh-grader at Willow Creek Learning Center in Poland, was awarded a $100 savings bond at the scholarship luncheon hosted by Rotary Club of Youngstown May 11 at the Youngstown Club. Ritz, daughter of Lisa and Stephen Ritz, was named champion of The Vindicator’s 78th Regional Spelling Bee after 69 rounds of competition at the Chestnut Room of Kilcawley Center at Youngstown State University. Making the presentation was Steve Kristen, president of the Rotary club.