Sterling Hollond, a Basehor-Linwood Middle School student won today’s Sunflower Spelling Bee. Sterling is in 6th grade. He is the son of of Anne and David Hollond of Basehor. He represented Leavenworth County and will now compete in the National Spelling Bee in May.

The Ellis County representative was Sally Lushbough, a Hays Middle School 8th grader.

Eighty-five students in third through eighth grades from 75 counties participated in the competition at Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center at Fort Hays State University,

The bee was co-sponsored by the Hays Daily News, AT&T and Sunflower Electric.