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Third-place winner returns to the Bee
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LIBERTY
Dominic Nohra, The Vindicator 85th Regional Spelling Bee’s third-place winner, is returning for a chance to win the 86th bee.
Dominic, 12, son of Ann Marie and Liberty schools Superintendent Joe Nohra, said he’s not all that nervous for another go – he’s been studying.
That’s not his only secret.
Dominic’s skills go back to before he was in school when he would sit with his grandfather, the late Joseph Nohra, and play Words with Friends.
Words with Friends is a smartphone application that allows the user to play a Scrabble-like game with friends.
“[Dominic] really got his gist for language early on for words and language from my dad,” Joe Nohra said. “From the time he was 1 year old, he was sitting on his [grandfather’s] lap playing Words with Friends.”
Dominic also has been playing Scrabble since he was 4.
“He just enjoys spelling and understanding words,” Joe Nohra said. “He fell in love with the spelling bee.”
The Vindicator bee is March 16 in Kilcawley Center on the Youngstown State University campus.
Dominic’s first go at a spelling bee was in the fourth grade in Struthers.
“He finished as a fourth-grader in one of the top few that were left,” Joe Nohra said.
Ann Marie Nohra said she loves her son’s passion for the bee. “It’s exciting for us,” she said. “We are very proud of him.”
Andrew Scarmack, Dominic’s principal at Guy Junior High, said he’s also proud of Dominic.
“It’s impressive to watch the spelling bee and see all the students perform at that level,” he said.
Hannah Struharik, Dominic’s language arts teacher, said his success is “a true testimony to his hard work both inside and outside of the classroom.”
Joe Nohra labels his son as meticulous.
“He’s very organized,” he said. “He’s always very concerned about finishing things, but he takes his time and works slowly through things because he’s a perfectionist. He’s very conscientious.”
In addition to spelling, Dominic plays the saxophone, swims and participates in robotics, ski club and track.
His love of reading is what helps him succeed in spelling, though. “I read a lot, and when I see a word I’ll remember it and know the origins of the word,” Dominic said.