Regional spelling bee finals

Fifth-graders through eighth-graders from across the Upper Peninsula showed off their ability with language and competed for a trip to Washington, D.C.

The Upper Peninsula Regional Spelling Bee took place this afternoon.

The preliminary rounds took place at Westwood High School and Negaunee High School, with the finals in Negaunee.

The kids had to study more than 650 words to prepare.

Shannon Nulf, an eighth-grader from Hancock, is the winner.

She’ll advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

It usually takes place in the Washington, D.C. area shortly after Memorial Day each year.

Linnie Gustafson, a seventh-grader from St. Ignace, finished second.

Marlee Matthews came in third; she’s a sixth-grader at Bothwell Middle School in Marquette.

Kingsford fifth-grader Reegan Ketzenberger finished fourth.