Olive Branch stenographer scores big money on Wheel of Fortune

Photo: Lashawn Marshall of Olive Branch is shown on the set of Wheel of Fortune. She won $64,359 in cash and prizes, including a trip to the Bahamas and a 2022 Ford Escape SEL. (Courtesy photo)

Lashawn Marshall is a federal official court reporter and stenographer from Olive Branch and appeared on the Wheel of Fortune television game show on Monday, April 17.

Lashawn said she loves being a stenographer so much, she doesn’t even consider it work. A stenograph, the tool she uses to transcribe the court proceedings, has 23 blank keys that can produce every word in the English language. It is so challenging to learn the skill, that she considers it another language. By her own estimate, she is writing over 225 words per minute, while professional typists working on a normal keyboard average between 43-80 words per minute. Her dream is to compete in the National Speed Contest someday.

Lashawn and her husband, Stephan say they watch Wheel of Fortune every night and get very competitive seeing who can guess the puzzles first. Her most important strategy going into her episode is to have fun. 

That strategy apparently worked, as Lashawn ended up winning a total of $64,359 in cash and prizes in her appearance, including a trip to the Bahamas and a 2022 Ford Escape SEL.

Lashawn’s appearance was part of the show’s “Great American Cities” week. Each night, a different city is featured through show segments that were shot on location with hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White.

Show officials say it’s never been easier to audition to become a contestant. Wheel of Fortune fans can submit applications at https://www.wheeloffortune.com/join/be-a-contestant for a chance to be invited to a virtual audition. There, potential contestants can show off their puzzle-solving skills and potentially be selected to appear as a contestant on the show from the comfort of their own homes. 

If selected to be on the show, everyone goes home with a minimum of $1,000.

Wheel of Fortune is aired nightly on WMC-TV, Channel 5 in Memphis.