Latest news with #CarterPeterson
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nine Minnesota students to compete at 100th Scripps National Spelling Bee
May 9—Nine Minnesota students, including an Ellis Middle School student, will represent the state at the historic 100th Scripps National Spelling Bee, taking place May 25 — 31, in Washington, D.C. These spellers earned their spots through local and regional competitions and are ready to showcase their skills on the national stage, including Carter Peterson, an eighth-grade student at Ellis. The Minnesota representatives are: —Emmaline Bushman — Saint John's Preparatory School, St. Cloud —Jaden Go — Sacred Heart School, East Grand Forks —Josslyn Hansen — Wadena-Deer Creek High School, Wadena —Gemma Kim — Ordean East Middle School, Duluth —Charles Mueller-Thompson — Marshall Middle School, Marshall —Carter Peterson — Ellis Middle School, Austin —Wade Salvey — Scenic Heights Elementary School, Minneapolis —Eli Schlosser — Kennedy Secondary School, Fergus Falls —Anya Stoll — Saint Peter Lutheran School, St. Peter This year marks the 100th anniversary of one of America's most celebrated academic competitions. More than 240 spellers from across the country and around the world will gather for a week filled with competition, camaraderie, and a celebration of language excellence. "We are proud to support these exceptional Minnesota students as they compete on the national stage," said Mary Hillmann, student academic coordinator with the Minnesota Service Cooperatives. "Their hard work, dedication, and love of learning are truly inspiring." Preliminary rounds begin May 27, with semifinals and finals broadcast live nationwide. The event will culminate with the crowning of the 100th Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion. For more information about the Bee and the Minnesota students, visit
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
It's all worth it: Ellis eighth-grader going national after recent Spelling Bee win
Feb. 19—There was a moment Tuesday during the Final Spelling Bee at the Wood Lake Meeting Center in Rochester when Austin student Carter Peterson's nerves were overwritten by joy. "When the girl I was going against got that word wrong, when it was just us two, I basically knew that I had won the competition, because I had memorized the words down pat," Peterson said Wednesday, still relishing the win a day after the event. "These words, I knew them like the back of my hand so I knew I was going to win when she got the word wrong." Peterson, an eighth-grader at Ellis Middle School, won Tuesday's Spelling Bee on the word "judicious" and will now go on and represent the area at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. on May 26-31, with the finals slated to take place on May 29. Peterson's recollection of the final moments of his win Tuesday isn't bragging, but rather the next step of a journey that has included hours of practice and spelling going as far back as first grade. "It felt amazing knowing that I worked so hard and it finally turned out the way I wanted it to," Peterson said. It also wasn't an easy win. Peterson said he felt the nerves of competing in this final round before he even got Rochester. "I had some doubt in myself that I would be able to do it, but you know I tried to keep faith in myself," he said. "I ended up doing it." Something of an old hat in the spelling game, Peterson has spent countless hours of practice working and memorizing the words that he might be facing. This is a challenge in and of itself, but it's made even more so knowing that of the thousands of words he works through, only few of those words will be used. And it's only going to get more challenging at the national level. "It can be very frustrating at times knowing you have to spend all of that time for just a few words because you don't know what you are going to get," Peterson said. "It all ends up being worth it in the end." Peterson said he will now take some time off just to get away from the spelling game for a while before he jumps back into it in preparation for the live-televised event in May. To do that he uses the Word Club app that provides different levels of words depending on a grade level. But he's not doing this alone as Peterson has come to depend on family to help him through, including a rather boisterous fan section being in attendance Tuesday. "I felt like I had done it," Peterson said after spelling "judicious," adding with a grin: "My grandma, like screamed." He has also fallen back on the support of his mother, Breanna Peterson, who has been with him every step of the way, even during the challenging moments. "I really owe a lot of it to my mom, because she has sat there as I get frustrated and I don't want to study anymore because I'm exhausted," Peterson said. "One thing she told me when I was having a hard time was, 'just close your eyes and imagine that moment when you win.' That really pushed me to want to win." Peterson doesn't have to imagine anymore now that he's cleared this latest hurdle and looks even further forward, but he's not taking the opportunity for granted either. He will take a realistic view of things with him to the nation's capitol and all that entails, which he hopes includes a stop at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "I'm nervous already, but I'm also very excited because I'm excited for the competition. Excited for the experience being in Washington, D.C.," he said. "Even if I do get out, it would be such an honor just to get to be there. One day I'll tell my kids you can do anything if you put your mind to it." While the experience up until this point as well as the experience before him is exciting and important, there is also one added benefit that makes it all worthwhile. "It's the last week of school so I get to skip the whole last week of school," he said. This year marks 100 years of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Aside from Peterson, fellow Austin eighth-grader Giselle Hinks had advanced to Tuesday's Spelling Bee along with Hollandale Christian sixth-grader Jessica Bird.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
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
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Local students advance to Southeast Minnesota Final Spelling Bee
Feb. 11—A trio of area students are among those that have advanced to the Southeast Minnesota Final Spelling Bee. Eighth-graders Giselle Hinks and Carter Peterson advanced from Austin Public Schools as well as Hollandale Christian sixth-grader Jessica Bird. Two Regional Spelling Bees were held on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at the Wood Lake Meeting Center in Rochester with 48 students participating. Students from 29 districts throughout southeast Minnesota advanced to compete in the regional competitions coordinated by the Southeast Service Cooperative. The top 12 spellers (six from each spelling bee) now advance to the Final Spelling Bee at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at the Wood Lake Meeting Center (210 Wood Lake Dr SE, Rochester, MN 55904). The event is anticipated to be done around 11 a.m. The grand champion of the final will advance to the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
