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Twelve spellers (six from each Regional Spelling Bee) competed in the Final Spelling Bee Tuesday morning at the Southeast Service Cooperative in Rochester. These 12 students were narrowed down from 48 students from 29 districts in southeast Minnesota who participated in the two Regional Spelling Bees on Feb. 4 coordinated by the Southeast Service Cooperative.

Carter Peterson, an eighth-grade student from Austin Public Schools, was declared the champion after correctly spelling the word judicious.

Carter advances to the Scripps National Spelling Bee that takes place May 25 to May 31, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Carter received a first-place trophy, a one-year subscription to Merriam-Webster online, 2025 United States Mint Proof Set (The Samuel Louis Sugarman Award from Scripps) and a one-year subscription to Britannica Online Premium.

Adah Solum, an eighth-grade student from Spring Grove, was the first runner-up. Adah received a trophy, and Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary (donated by Merriam-Webster).

Hollandale Christian School sixth grader Jessica Bird also participated.