With this win, Blair County Christian will retain the traveling Lakemont Lions Larry & Susan Edwards trophy, as Eliana Mock also won the event in 2023. The spelling bee winning student also earns an ice-cream social, hosted by the Lakemont Lions Club members, for the student’s entire class.

Twelve students from five schools competed in the 2024 bee. Participants were: Carl Fischer, Holy Trinity Catholic School, Altoona; Aiden Morder and Jared Eduard, Great Commission Schools, Altoona; Morrison George, Kaitlin O’Dea and Peyton Diveglia, St. Patrick Catholic School, Newry; Nick Beers and Hailey Camberg, Altoona Area Junior High School; and Keaton Ley, Cora Tucci, Donavan Marucci and Eliana Mock, Blair County Christian School.

Brian Camberg, a teacher at Altoona Area Junior High School, served as wordsmith for the bee. The panel of judges included Donna Gority, Katrina Pope, and Samantha Fulchiero. Lakemont Lion Sondra Stacey organized the event. The Club expressed appreciation to parents, teachers and principals for attending the event and for supporting the participating students

Lakemont Lions Club annually invites 5th and 6th graders from Blair County schools to participate in the spelling bee. Each school selects 2 students from each grade to represent their school. As the 48th annual spelling bee is planned for next year, schools should expect letters of invitation to the competition in late winter or early spring, 2025. The Club strives for growth in the competition and welcomes any inquiries from Blair County schools. Teachers and parents also can request inclusion on an email list for the event by contacting Lion Sondra Stacey at 717-552-9472.

Lakemont Lions Club President Dawn Landeck (left) and Blair County Christian School sixth-grade teacher Jill Tucci look on as Eliana Mock holds the Larry and Susan Edwards trophy for winning the 47th annual Lakemont Lions Spelling Bee.

At the beginning of the next school year, the Lakemont Club will invite school and student participation in the annual Lions International Peace Poster contest, where students produce a poster as part of a world-wide competition. Students ages 11, 12 or 13 as of November 15, 2024, are eligible to participate, vying for cash prizes. The 2024-25 international poster theme is “Peace Without Limits.” Lakemont Lions Club will circulate contest flyers in the fall. Students and teachers can get additional information by contacting Lion Lisa Faretta at 814-931-0363.

Lakemont Lions Club serves the local community through vision screenings, activities benefiting veterans, participation in environmental projects, holiday flower deliveries to shut-ins, and other activities. The club collects used eyeglasses as part of the Lions Recycle for Sight program, providing eyeglasses to people in third-world countries. Lions Club International Foundation provides monetary assistance across the globe in support of persons affected by disasters.

Lakemont Lions welcomes new members. Information on joining Lakemont Lions Club is available by calling Club President Dawn Landeck at 814-207-9731.