Austin student advances to the Scripps National Spelling Bee after winning Southeast Minnesota Final
Feb. 18—ROCHESTER — Carter Peterson of Austin bested 11 other students on Tuesday to take first place in the 2025 Southeast Minnesota Spelling Bee Final, setting him on course to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May.
He won with the word "judicious" after 14 rounds at the Southeast Service Cooperative in Rochester.
"I've been wanting to do this for a long time," Peterson said about heading into nationals. "I've studied for, like, three hours every single day this entire week."
This was Peterson's third time taking part in the Southeast Minnesota Spelling Bee Final, and his fourth year competing overall. His first-place victory has come in the last year he's eligible to compete.
As regional winner, Peterson 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 runner-up in the contest. Solum received a trophy and Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary.
Prior to arriving at Tuesday's event, the spellers competed in smaller, regional spelling bees. Nine Minnesota students will advance to the national level.
According to the Southeast Service Cooperative, which hosted the event, there has been only one Minnesotan to win the National Spelling Bee since 1925. In 2001, Sean Conley of Aitkin won with the word "succedaneum."
The students taking part in Tuesday's spelling bee included:
* Giselle Hinks, eighth grade, Austin
* Carter Peterson, eighth grade, Austin
* Caitlin Cina, eighth grade, Bethlehem Academy/DMCS
* Benny Kimber, eighth grade, Bluffview
* Jessica Bird, sixth grade, Hollandale Christian
* Emmalyn Rader, seventh grade, Kingsland
* Kadence Bowens, eighth grade, Northfield
* Grayson Mertesdorf, seventh grade, Northfield
* Haylee Eddy, eighth grade, Rushford-Peterson
* Ethan Graham, fifth grade, Schaeffer Academy
* Adah Solum, eighth grade, Spring Grove
* Betsy Langseth, eighth grade, Stewartville
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