Meet the First Coast Spelling Bee participants

The top spellers from each school district in Northeast Florida will compete in the First Coast Spelling Bee on Friday, March 9.  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: 
   Sydney Miller | Gracie Peprah-Asante
BAKER COUNTY: 
   Dakota Conaway-Ellis
CLAY COUNTY: 
   Josiah Ilagan | Erik Williams
COLUMBIA COUNTY: 
   Ava Allen | Rosalie Speer
DUVAL COUNTY: 
   Catherine Nichols | Saachi Sharma
FLAGLER COUNTY: 
   Keelin Vera Cowart-Goldberg | Alisha Jageswar
HAMILTON COUNTY: 
   Gracie Tabor
| Charles Wall II
MADISON COUNTY: 
   Erin Burnett | Riley Browning
NASSAU COUNTY: 
   Teddy Gurt | Ella Weepie
PUTNAM COUNTY:
   Jayden Wicker
ST. JOHNS COUNTY: 
   Carly Miller | Jackson Willis
SUWANNEE COUNTY:
   Isabella Baldwin | Taylar Smith
UNION COUNTY: 
   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

 

Isabella Baldwin

County: Suwanee

School: Melody Christian Academy
Grade: 8th
Age: 12
Hobbies: Cheerleading

 

Riley Browning

County: Madison
School: Madison Creative Arts Academy
Grade: 7th
Age: 12
Hobbies: Drama Club, Theater and Reading

 

Erin Burnett

County: Madison

School: Madison Creative Arts Academy
Grade: 5th
Age: 10
Hobbies: Softball, Reading and Drawing

 

 

Dakota Conaway-Ellis

County: Baker

School: Baker County Middle School
Grade: 6th
Age: 12
Hobbies: Computer gaming and Blogging

 

Keelin Vera Cowart-Goldberg

County: Flagler

School: Buddy Taylor Middle
Grade: 8th
Age: 14
Hobbies: Drawing

 

Teddy Gurt

County: Nassau

School: Yulee Middle School
Grade: 6th
Age: 11
Hobbies: Yulee Middle School Morning News and Karate

 

Josiah Ilagan

County: Clay

School: Lakeside Junior High
Grade: 8th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Plays Trombone and Drums

 

Alisha Jageswar

County: Flagler

School: Buddy Taylor Middle School
Grade: 7th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Reading, drawing and listening to music

 

Carly Miller

County: St. Johns

School: Switzerland Point Middle School
Grade: 8th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Soccer and Basketball

 

Sydney Miller

County: Alachua

School: Oak Hall School
Grade: 7th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Cross Country, Basketball, Track, Band, FCA and Latin

 

Aidan Newsom

County: Union

School: Lake Butler Middle School
Grade: 8th
Age: 14
Hobbies: Football, Basketball, FFA Teams, Boating and Hunting
 

Catherine Nichols

County: Duval

School: St. Mark's Episcopal
Grade: 6th
Age: 12
Hobbies: Flute, Cello, Bass Guitar and Volleyball

 

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
 

Taylar Smith

County: Suwannee

School: Branford High School
Grade: 7th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Drawing and learning how to code
 

Rosalie Speer

County: Columbia

School: Fort White Elementary
Grade: 5th
Age: 10
Hobbies: Archery

 

Gracie Tabor

County: Hamilton

School: Hamilton Country Day
Grade: 6th
Age: 11
Hobbies: Drama Club and Dance

 

Kyle VanDoren

County: Bradford
School: Lawtey Elementary
Grade: 5th
Age: 11
Hobbies: Reading and Playing Video Games

 

Charles Wall II

County: Hamilton

School: Hamilton Elementary
Grade: 5th
Age: 10
Hobbies: Basketball

 

Ella Weepie

County: Nassau

School: Fernandina Beach Middle School
Grade: 8th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Volleyball, Theater and Drama

 

Jayden Wicker

County: Putnam

School: Q.I. Roberts Junior-Senior High
Grade: 7th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Basketball, Swimming and Running

 

Erik Williams

County: Clay

School: St. Johns Country Day
Grade: 5th
Age: 10
Hobbies: Baseball, Basketball, Chess Club, Mathcounts and Clarinet

 

Jackson Willis

County: St. Johns

School: Liberty Pines Academy
Grade: 8th
Age: 13
Hobbies: Tennis and Cross Country

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