By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

Competition may be fierce Feb. 16 at the county spelling bee when two sisters will be among the contestants.

Fourth-grader Anna Carlson won the Marion Elementary School spelling bee on Friday, and her sister, sixth-grader Alexandra, won the Marion Junior High spelling bee earlier in the week.

Anna was home-schooled last year, so this was her first spelling bee. Alexandra has won her past three school spelling bees and two county spelling bees.

The girls are daughters of Lucas and Julie Carlson of rural Lincolnville.

“Every person is given different gifts and talents,” Julie said, “but they work at it.”

Anna said she was “kind of” nervous about competing at the county level. Her mom and dad help her by giving her words to spell, and she uses a word app on her phone.

Alexandra was modest about her successes.

“I hope that we both do well,” she said.

She practices by writing words out.

“I’m a visual learner,” she said.

Anna won with the correct spelling of “sitcom.”

Three others dropped out on the previous word and competed for second place. Brianna Wesner, a fourth-grader, spelled “scarf” correctly to win. Colton Smith is the alternate.

The county spelling bee will be at 10 a.m. Feb. 16 at the Performing Arts Center in Marion.