New Castle girl headed to Washington for national Bee


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Lauren Ritz of New Castle, Pa., who won the Vindicator Regional Spelling Bee in March, will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., this week.

BOARDMAN

Lauren Ritz’s classmates at Willow Creek Learning Center plan to track her progress online this week during the 84th Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Lauren, 13, of New Castle, Pa., a seventh-grader at the private school, and her family will travel today to Washington, D.C., and preliminary rounds begin Monday. Last March, Lauren won The Vindicator’s 78th Regional Spelling Bee, earning her a place in the national event.

To make it to the regional bee, Lauren outspelled other Willow Creek students, a feat she achieved in 2010 as well.

She says she’s ready for the national bee.

“I’ve been trying to study more prefixes and roots than I did before,” Lauren said. “I find that very helpful.”

Her parents, Lisa and Stephen Ritz, and younger brother, Alex, 11, will travel to the nation’s capital to watch the bee and take in some sightseeing.

The trip is underwritten by The Vindicator.

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