Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Beaty-Warren Middle School seventh-grader Levi Peterson spells a word Thursday at the Beaty-Warren Middle School spelling bee.

There was a cirque, a garderobe, a marguerite, and even a hobbledehoy on the way to the Beaty-Warren Middle School spelling bee championship.

The event brought together the winners of spelling bees held in each classroom in grades five through eight.

Out of 240 available words, moderator Jon Sitler had to use about 210 before eighth-grader Vance Darr was named champion after correctly spelling marguerite.

There were almost 30 students in the competition.

The top five finishers from the Beaty bee move on to the Warren County spelling bee.

The county bee will be held Wednesday, Feb. 1, at Beaty.