A Villages Charter School student has won the Sumter County Spelling Bee.
Marissa Couture was the winner of the spelling bee held on Thursday.
The first runner-up was Samiul Kader of South Sumter Middle School. Couture and Kader will represent the county at the district spelling bee in Orlando in March. Hannah Weiss, also of South Sumter Middle School, was the second runner-up and will serve as the alternate to the district competition.
Abby Lacayo, a Wildwood Elementary School student who won the hearts of many Villagers when she battled a serious illness, was the winner of her school’s spelling bee and competed in Thursday’s Sumter County Spelling bee.