By JOYANNA LOVE/Senior Staff Writer

MAPLESVILLE — Kyle Tillery, an eighth-grade student at Maplesville High School, is headed to the Chilton County Schools system wide spelling bee for the fourth year in a row.

Tillery advanced to the county level by winning the school’s spelling bee.

Of his four times competing at the county level, Tillery has won twice.  The first win was when he was in fifth grade, and the other when he was in sixth.

“I would definitely like to win this year because it is my last year,” Tillery said.

He was the runner-up at the county level last year.

Tillery said he prepares each year by studying the list of words provided.

For Maplesville runner-up Truett Smith, it was his first year competing.

Smith said his parents helped him study for the bee by having him write the spelling words from the list provided.

“It feels good to me to be the runner-up the first year to compete,” Smith said.

The school wide spelling bee was open to all students in grades third through eighth.