T-L File Photo/JOE LOVELL BRIDGEPORT EIGHTH-grader Lyrik Brown, winner of the Belmont County Spelling Bee, poses with his parents, Valani and Mark Brown, and the bee mascot after winning the competition in February. Brown continues his preparations for the national bee despite changes to the event this year.

BRIDGEPORT — Belmont County’s spelling bee winner — Bridgeport eighth-grader Lyrik Brown — is getting ready for the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which is undergoing changes this year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Brown, a student in the Bridgeport Exempted Village School District, is the son of Valani and Mark Brown. He won the county bee in February.

Officials with the national bee in Washington, D.C., announced some changes to the format of the competition with most of the event expected to occur remotely. However, not all the changes have been announced to date.

Amy Vavrock, talented and gifted teacher in the Bridgeport Exempted Village School District, said coordinators are not yet sure how many virtual rounds of spelling will occur.

“Scripps has informed us that the bee will consist of preliminary, quarterfinal and semifinal segments as it has in the past. These rounds will be held virtually this year leading up to the July 8 finals and will be broadcast live on ESPN platforms. However, we have received no further information at this time. The semifinals are planned for June 27, but other dates have not yet been announced,” she said.

Brown, however, is taking it all in stride.

“To practice for the virtual rounds, I am practicing the same words that I would have been given if I was still going in person,” he said. “The words are the ‘Words of Champions’ from Scripps. There are about 4,000 words to study and in the competition they use words straight out of the Merriam-Webster dictionary that we haven’t studied.”

Brown noted he’s not sure how the change will impact him during the competition.

“To be honest, I’m not sure how it will impact my performance. It will probably make me feel a little better and less nervous since I will be competing in my own home or school,” he said.

“At first, I was disappointed that I couldn’t compete in Washington, D.C., but then got the news that the sponsors will still be sending my family on a trip to D.C., just like they would normally. It was a nice surprise because I thought I couldn’t go at all.”

Sponsors of the county bee — The Times Leader, Belmont Savings Bank, Bordas and Bordas, Uniglobe, Airport Limousine and East Central Ohio Educational Service Center — still want Brown and his family to enjoy the experience he earned as winner of the county event.

“We decided that while most in-person portions of the Scripps National Spelling Bee will be canceled, we still wanted to give the Brown family a few days in the capital to take in our nation’s history and enjoy Washington, D.C.,” Jennifer Compston-Strough, managing editor of The Times Leader, explained.

According to information from Scripps, the decision to make changes to this year’s bee was about keeping people safe and healthy.

“The decision to limit the number of spellers who will compete in person was made in consideration of the health and safety of participants, their families and everyone involved in the event’s production as the country continues to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Scripps is reviewing its COVID-19-related safety protocol with medical experts at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to help facilitate a safe experience for all,” said Nicole Dittoe, Local Sponsorship manager, Scripps National Spelling Bee, in a letter to participating groups.

The 2020 Scripps National Spelling Bee was canceled altogether due to COVID-19. The 2020 county winner was Tyler Harris, a student at St. Mary’s School, St. Clairsville. Because he and his family could not travel during the height of the pandemic, Harris received an additional cash prize.

In addition to a future trip to Washington, D.C., Brown also received a $500 cash prize, a first-place trophy, a Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online Certificate, The Samuel Louis Sugarman Award, a plaque with the two winning words for school display, a Traveling Trophy for school display, and a one-year subscription to the Britannica Online Premium.