Lafayette sixth-grader heading to Scripps National Spelling Bee

More than 20 Acadiana middle-schoolers participated in the Kiwanis Regional Spelling Bee in Lafayette on Friday night.

Those students, along with several more competing on the elementary level, represented over 35 area schools as they spelled their way through the rounds to see who would be heading to the national stage.

Beatrice Long, a sixth-grader at John Paul the Great Academy in Lafayette, won the top prize by correctly spelling "welterweight."

Beatrice told The Advertiser she felt "like I'm on cloud nine" after her big win.

She will head to Washington, D.C. to compete in this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The top speller from the 3rd-5th grade division was fifth-grader Fisher Webre of Sts. Leo-Seton Catholic School. The elementary bee winner doesn't move on to the national level but did receive a $200 gift card.

This is Beatrice's third time competing in the regional bee and her first to head to the national stage.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee will be held in Washington, D.C. the week of Memorial Day, May 24 to May 29.

Find more information and photos from this year's bee from The Advertiser here.

Here are other winners:

3^rd-5^th Grade Bee:

Champion: Fisher Webre of Sts. Leo-Seton Catholic School (Lafayette)

Runner-Up: Josie Breaux of Our Lady of Fatima School (Lafayette)

3^rd Place: Aidan Touchet of Leblanc Elementary School (Abbeville)

6^th-8^th Grade Bee:

Champion: Beatrice Long of John Paul the Great Academy (Lafayette)

Runner-Up: William Moses of Our Lady of Fatima School (Lafayette)

3^rd Place: Noah Darby of St. Cecilia School (Broussard)