Spelling Bee Results | Community Spirit

A local fifth grader spelled her way to the top this week during the Region Bee.

Mya Halvorson of Duluth Lowell Elementary School was named the first place winner of the regional competition.

There were 30 participants grades five to eight in the Regional Spelling Bee that was conducted Thursday at Woodland Middle School in Duluth.

Students participate throughout the school year in classroom and district levels to reach this feat.

Seventh grade student Spencer Johnson of Duluth Woodland took home second. Third place went to Connor Friday, a sixth grader, from Duluth Marshall.

Emma Greenlee, seventh grader at Mesabi East, placed fourth.

"The spelling ability of the students is very impressive and our winner this year being in fifth grade is pretty awesome," said Kijo Pulford, regional spelling bee coordinator.

Pulford serves as the educational services program specialist for the Northeast Service Cooperative in Mountain Iron, which sponsors the regional competition.

The regional winners go onto compete at a Multi-Regional State Bee, which is scheduled for Thursday, March 1 in Fergus Falls, Minn.

The goal - to advance to the National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC.