20-05-2025
Luverne High takes top spot in Vocabulary Bowl
May 20—LUVERNE — Over 100 students at Luverne High School proved themselves to be quite the wordsmiths after taking the top spot in April's statewide Vocabulary Bowl.
LHS was named the top high school in Minnesota for the spring 2025 season of the Vocabulary Bowl, hosted by correctly spelling 7,019 words to earn the placement. Students compete in the online vocabulary bowl twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring, for a month-long period.
Students in Amy Sahly's English and Literature classes took to the task, studying as many words as possible leading up to the contest, which happened throughout the months of February and March.
"You spell anywhere from like, 3- to 15-letter words five times, master it, match the definition to the word online and that's how you work your way into the championship," Gavin Hoven, a junior at LHS, said.
The spring contest was Hoven's first time competing. He said he enjoyed participating and gained a lot by doing so, like learning what words like "osteoporosis" mean and how to use them correctly.
"They're just a lot different than my everyday vocabulary," Hoven said.
Some of the students said they appreciated taking part in the Vocabulary Bowl because they know the words being learned and retained will come in handy later in life. Students can select from a variety of lists to study from leading up to the event, everything from classic works of literature to religion, politics, films, holidays and sports, just to name a few.
"For me, I thought it was very helpful because I plan on studying nursing as a career so I looked at a list about that," Isabella Hoogendoorn, LHS junior, shared.
Participating students can complete study techniques on the website like quizzing themselves or completing a spelling bee to help them learn definitions.
"The thing that was different about this season is that they split up middle school and high school," Sahly said. "We thought we got completely creamed because there was a middle school who just blew everybody out of the water."
But once LHS learned grades were divided and that it took the top high school spot, they were shocked, but thrilled.
According to a press release, Minnetonka Middle School West placed first among middle schools.
"I hope they (the students) take away pride in learning vocabulary, and the idea that working together as a team and doing well academically can be a cool accomplishment worth celebrating," Sahly said.
