Stiles crowned 2017 Spelling Bee Champ

Whitewater School hosted 20 of the top elementary and junior high spellers from area schools at the 40th Annual Phillips County Spelling Bee last Wednesday and Malta Middle School's Kanyon Stiles spelled "holocaust" correctly to win this year's crown.

"I was pretty I knew how to spell it," Stiles said after the event. "But I wasn't positive."

Stiles finished in fifth place at the MMS Spelling Bee earlier in February earning the final spot of five following a fifth place finish at his school's event. He said at the MMS Bee, he misspelled "orchestra" by leaving out the letter "a."

"I will ne...