COEUR d'ALENE - The region's top young spellers are ready to go head-to-head Saturday at the annual North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee at North Idaho College.

The competition brings 54 fourth- through eighth-grade students together from the state's five northern counties to compete for the grand prize: an all expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in June.

For many of the contestants, it's not their first time at the regional contest.

"I guess I just have some sort of talent," said Benson Waldrop, a seventh-grade student set to represent St. Maries Middle School on Saturday. "I just have to look at a word twice, and usually I have it down."

It's the fourth consecutive year that Benson, 12, is competing at NIC.

He made his first trip to the bee in 2007 when he was in the fourth grade.

As a seasoned competitive speller, Benson advises first-timers to work on not getting flustered.

"If you feel like you're getting stressed out when you're about to spell a word, just calm down and take a few deep breaths because everyone gets stressed at least once in their life," Benson said.

Elissa Garrett, 12, is no stranger to spelling competitions either.

A sixth-grade student at House of the Lord Christian School in Oldtown, Elissa participated for the first time in 2008 as a fourth-grader and again last year as a fifth-grade student. She won second place last year.

Elissa's main study technique is simple, "I have mom test me."

Her advice to other spellers: "If you know Jesus, pray."

Elissa doesn't think she'll ever forget how to spell "infinitesimal," the word that tripped her up in the championship round last year against Sabrina Smith.

Sabrina is also returning to the regional bee this year to represent her school, Prairie Avenue Christian Center in Hayden.

The now eighth-grade student traveled to the national competition in Washington, D.C., last year.

"This being the seventh year of the North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee, we are seeing so many students return year after year," said bee co-coordinator Stacy Hudson.

"This is a feat in itself because the participants have to win at various levels - the classroom, the school, the district - in order to make it to the regional bee. We are very proud of each of the spellers and wish them the best."

The spellers will compete against each other, regardless of grade level, beginning at 10 a.m. in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center on NIC's main campus. Registration for participants begins at 9 a.m.

The event is sponsored by Hagadone Newspapers and hosted by NIC.

Information: (208) 769-3316