T-L Photo/JOSIE BURKHART Representatives from sponsors of the 38th annual Belmont County Spelling Bee attend the event Thursday evening. In front from left are Bridgeport teacher and coach Arleen Keller; Jessica Kuprowicz, mother of the winner; champion Brett Kuprowicz; Noah Kuprowicz, father of the champ; and the winner’s sister, Hannah. Behind them from left are Jarrett Wilson, Wilson Funeral Home; Joe Lovell, The Times Leader; Mark Nicholson and Pam McKim, Belmont Savings Bank; Frank Papini, Ohio River Valley Elks; and Gregg Elliott, LED Executive Services.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Brett Kuprowicz took home the first-place trophy at the 38th annual Belmont County Spelling Bee after surviving nine rounds Thursday evening.

The winning words the Bridgeport eighth-grader successfully spelled in a row were “eucalyptus” and “marsupial.” Now, Kuprowicz will travel to Washington, D.C., for a chance to compete in the Scripps national finals, along with other regional winners from across the country. The first-class trip will provide Kuprowicz, a parent and a teacher or coach with private shuttle service to Pittsburgh and an Amtrak train ride to D.C. with luxurious accommodations. The national finals will take place at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, located on the banks of the Potomac River.

Along with a trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Kuprowicz enjoys a $500 cash prize, first-place trophy, Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online Certificate, the Samuel Louis Sugarman Award, a plaque with two winning words for school display and a one-year subscription to the Britannica Online Premium.

This is the third time since 1987 a student from Bridgeport has won the Belmont County Spelling Bee, with a winner in 2021 and another in 1995.

Kuprowicz won the bee by studying and preparing at least once a day up until the competition, going through pages, starting and reviewing the words he didn’t know harder than the ones he did know, which is the process he’s used in the past couple years that made him a winner this year.

This is Kuprowicz fourth year in both the district and county bees.

“It feels great,” he said. “I mean I’ve been in the district one for four years, and this is the first time I’ve won, so that’s very exciting.”

Kuprowicz said there were only two words throughout the night that he didn’t know but felt confident with the rest of the words that went on for nine rounds. He added that he felt a little stirred up when he missed a word in the last round, but he calmed himself down on his two winning words, going letter by letter.

Jessica Kuprowicz said it felt exciting when her son won the bee, as she’s watched him compete since the fifth grade and knew he wanted to take it all this time.

“And that’s what he did,” she said. “We are so proud of him.”

Seventh grade Catholic Consortium student Adeline Jackson is the runner-up and will take the place as an alternative to Kuprowicz if he cannot attend the national spelling bee.

Jackson will enjoy a $250 cash prize, second-place trophy and Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary.

While Kuprowicz won the spelling bee, sixth grade St. Clairsville student Rosalie White won the cover design contest for the Belmont County Spelling Bee. Fifth-grader Millie Ronevich from St. Clairsville came in second, and sixth-grader Sophia McCormack from Martins Ferry took third.

Although 18 original contestants were ready to compete in the bee, Kuprowicz competed against 15 others Thursday evening as two contestants and their alternates were not able to attend.

Sponsors for this year’s bee included The Times Leader, Belmont Savings Bank, Uniglobe Travel, LED Transportation, Wilson Furniture and Wilson Funeral Homes, the Ohio River Elks and the East Central Ohio Educational Service Center.