‘Wheel of Fortune’ smiles on student from Carlisle High
15-year-old wins more than $30K, trip to Puerto Rico.
A self-proclaimed “mini-celebrity” got more than his 15 minutes of fame when he appeared on TV as a contestant on Friday’s Teen Week episode of “Wheel of Fortune.”
Ross Campbell, a 15-yearold sophomore at Carlisle High School, has been a huge fan of the show since he was a child.
He won $30,450 in cash and prizes along with a trip to Puerto Rico in Friday night’s Teen Week episode.
The community gathered to watch Campbell at the
Carlisle High School auditorium, according to school officials.
Campbell said he applied online in late October when he saw on the show’s social media site that they were taking applications for teen contestants. Campbell received an email inviting him to audition on Zoom with the show’s contestant coordinators. In late November, he received an email that he was selected as a contestant.
“It was about nine o’clock at night and I was sitting on the couch when I got the email telling me that I was selected as a contestant and I jumped up and down and was so happy because I have always been a fan of the show,” Campbell said.
He said the contestant coordinators did not indicate why he was selected. “But during the audition I did on Zoom with the contestant coordinators, I kept a good posture, big smile, and a friendly attitude,” he said.
Campbell and his parents flew to Los Angeles to tape in early December, missing three days of school as the producers taped a week of shows on the same day at the Sony Picture Studios in Culver City, California.
“We got to go to “Jeopardy’s” studio to fill out paperwork while the “Wheel of Fortune” crew got the studio ready for the day,” Campbell said. “The contestant coordinators had us spin the wheel multiple times so we would get the feel of the wheel. All of us contestants got to know each other very well throughout the day.”
In Carlisle, Campbell enjoys riding his scooter around town and playing golf. He also enjoys social media and making videos, as well as volunteering at the elementary school.
With any winnings, Campbell plans to save for college, get a new computer and hopefully buy a new car.
“I am planning on going to college either at Wright State University or Miami University. I would like to double major in journalism and Spanish, since you never know what language might be needed when doing interviews. And, I love being in front of the camera.”