By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN

dobrien@dailynews.net

Cheyenne Ellard, an eighth-grader at Kennedy Middle School in Hays, made the most of a second chance.

Ellard, after finishing second in her school's geography bee last year as a seventh-grader, won the event this year.

She then met the qualifications on a written test to get the chance to compete in Friday's state competition of the 21st annual National Geography Bee at the Eisenhower Center in Abilene.

Ellard will join four other middle school-age students in representing the area at state.

Nearly 100 students in grades four through eight will be vying for a chance to earn a trip to Washington for the national bee and a shot at a $25,000 college scholarship.

Other area state qualifiers are Steve Cummings, a sixth-grader at Eisenhower Elementary School in Norton; Matthew Helm, an eighth-grader at Decatur Community Junior High in Oberlin; and two eighth-graders from Ness City -- Christopher Gulick, who attends Sacred Heart School, and Cordell McIntosh from Ness City Elementary School.

TMP forensics team places several at Smith Center

The Thomas More Prep-Marian High School forensics team continues to fare well this spring, finishing in the top six of five events at last Thursday's Smith Center Invitational.

Although Hays High School's meet was postponed because of bad weather Saturday, the Monarchs hope to carry that momentum into Thursday's meet at Phillipsburg.

Senior Samie Pfeifer led the way at Smith Center with two runner-up performances -- in poetry, which qualified her for state, and in improvised duet acting with Lucas Vitztum. That duo already had qualified for state in that event.

Recording a third-place finish was senior Jackie Walters, in serious solo acting, while the freshman duo of Taran Becker and Brandi Barnes were fourth in duet acting.

Rounding out the top six finishes for the Monarchs was junior Mark Wasinger, who was sixth in humorous solo acting.

Victoria's spring play set for this weekend

Victoria High School students will be performing the play "Chickenheart," a medieval comedy set in 1340 England, this weekend.

The performances of the melodrama are set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is $5 at the door.