The top spellers from each school district in Northeast Florida will compete in the First Coast Spelling Bee on Friday, March 9. Â The bee, held at the Florida Theater, will be televised on Channel 4, The Local Station, and streamed on News4Jax.com.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Where are this year's top spellers in Northeast Florida?
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The winner will receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., to represent the First Coast at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The 2018 Spelling Bee finalists
ALACHUA COUNTY:Â
  Sydney Miller | Gracie Peprah-Asante
BAKER COUNTY:Â
  Dakota Conaway-Ellis
CLAY COUNTY:Â
  Josiah Ilagan | Erik Williams
COLUMBIA COUNTY:Â
  Ava Allen | Rosalie Speer
DUVAL COUNTY:Â
  Catherine Nichols | Saachi Sharma
FLAGLER COUNTY:Â
  Keelin Vera Cowart-Goldberg | Alisha Jageswar
HAMILTON COUNTY:Â
  Gracie Tabor | Charles Wall II
MADISON COUNTY:Â
  Erin Burnett | Riley Browning
NASSAU COUNTY:Â
  Teddy Gurt | Ella Weepie
PUTNAM COUNTY:
  Jayden Wicker
ST. JOHNS COUNTY:Â
  Carly Miller | Jackson Willis
SUWANNEE COUNTY:
  Isabella Baldwin | Taylar Smith
UNION COUNTY:Â
  Aidan Newsom
Tap on the name above or scroll through the list below to read about the students who will compete:
Ava Allen
County: Columbia
School: Fort White High School
Grade: 8th
Age: 14
Hobbies: Chorus and Yearbook
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Isabella Baldwin
County: Suwanee
School: Melody Christian Academy
Grade: 8th
Age: 12
Hobbies: Cheerleading
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Riley Browning
County: Madison
School: Madison Creative Arts Academy
Grade: 7th
Age: 12
Hobbies: Drama Club, Theater and Reading
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Erin Burnett
County: Madison
School: Madison Creative Arts Academy
Grade: 5th
Age: 10
Hobbies: Softball, Reading and Drawing
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Dakota Conaway-Ellis
County: Baker
School: Baker County Middle School
Grade: 6th
Age: 12
Hobbies: Computer gaming and Blogging
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Keelin Vera Cowart-Goldberg
County: Flagler
School: Buddy Taylor Middle
Grade: 8th
Age: 14
Hobbies: Drawing
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Teddy Gurt
County: Nassau
School: Yulee Middle School
Grade: 6th
Age: 11
Hobbies: Yulee Middle School Morning News and Karate
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Josiah Ilagan
County: Clay
School: Lakeside Junior High
Grade: 8th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Plays Trombone and Drums
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Alisha Jageswar
County: Flagler
School: Buddy Taylor Middle School
Grade: 7th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Reading, drawing and listening to music
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Carly Miller
County: St. Johns
School: Switzerland Point Middle School
Grade: 8th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Soccer and Basketball
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Sydney Miller
County: Alachua
School: Oak Hall School
Grade: 7th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Cross Country, Basketball, Track, Band, FCAÂ and Latin
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Aidan Newsom
County: Union
School: Lake Butler Middle School
Grade: 8th
Age: 14
Hobbies: Football, Basketball, FFA Teams, Boating and Hunting
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Catherine Nichols
County: Duval
School: St. Mark's Episcopal
Grade: 6th
Age: 12
Hobbies: Flute, Cello, Bass Guitar and Volleyball
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Gracie Peprah-Asante
County: Alachua
School: Joseph Williams Elementary School
Grade: 5th
Age: 10
Hobbies: Math Club and Drawing
Saachi Sharma
County: Duval
School: Darnell Cookman School of Medical Arts
Grade: 8th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Reading and Swimming
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Taylar Smith
County: Suwannee
School: Branford High School
Grade: 7th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Drawing and learning how to code
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Rosalie Speer
County: Columbia
School: Fort White Elementary
Grade: 5th
Age: 10
Hobbies: Archery
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Gracie Tabor
County: Hamilton
School: Hamilton Country Day
Grade: 6th
Age: 11
Hobbies: Drama Club and Dance
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Kyle VanDoren
County: Bradford
School: Lawtey Elementary
Grade: 5th
Age: 11
Hobbies: Reading and Playing Video Games
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Charles Wall II
County: Hamilton
School: Hamilton Elementary
Grade: 5th
Age: 10
Hobbies: Basketball
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Ella Weepie
County: Nassau
School: Fernandina Beach Middle School
Grade: 8th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Volleyball, Theater and Drama
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Jayden Wicker
County: Putnam
School: Q.I. Roberts Junior-Senior High
Grade: 7th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Basketball, Swimming and Running
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Erik Williams
County: Clay
School: St. Johns Country Day
Grade: 5th
Age: 10
Hobbies: Baseball, Basketball, Chess Club, Mathcounts and Clarinet
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Jackson Willis
County: St. Johns
School: Liberty Pines Academy
Grade: 8th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Tennis and Cross Country
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