Local's spelling skills run in the family

When sixth grader Marley Sande won the Bigfork Elementary and Middle School spelling bee, it wasn't a big surprise – it was in her blood.

Sande, after competing against her peers in fifth through eighth grade, represented Bigfork in the county bee Thursday, Feb. 25, at Flathead High School.

She placed third and will continue on to the state spelling bee March 27 in Billings.

She's the fifth generation in her family to represent her school at the county bee.

"I come from a family of spellers," Sande said.

Her great, great-grandmother, Regina Sauer Ryding, was the first to start the trend and the first generation educated in American schools. Her great-grandmother, Bernadine Ryding Thingvold, also represented her school.

Grandmother Susan Thingvold Sande represented her one-room school, South Valley School.

Marley's uncles and father all won the bees at Edgerton School too – in 1978, 1979, 1983 and 1986 – and were inducted into the school's hall of fame.

Marley became the next generation to step up to the spelling challenge in February at the Bigfork bee, winning by correctly spelling "rotisserie."

This will be the first time, however, that one of the family has advanced beyond the county level. Her grandmother Susan came the closest.

In her year, the county tournament ended in a standoff between her, as a sixth-grade student, and an eighth grader.

The elder student was announced the winner after the announcer couldn't pronounce the final word, since judges figured Susan would have more opportunities to win.

Marley said she didn't prepare for the Bigfork spelling bee; she just reads a lot of books. She may, however, do a little more preparing for the state level.

She said it can be intimidating to be up at the microphone.

"It's kind of creepy with a whole bunch of people starring at you, but it's kind of fun too," she said.

Bigfork seventh grader Rhyan Lasorte placed second in the Bigfork spelling bee and was the alternate to the county bee.