A total of 52 fourth- through eighth-graders from the five northern counties of Idaho will participate in the ninth annual North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee Saturday, March 23 at North Idaho College.

The winner will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee the end of May.

Each contestant was the winner of his or her respective grade level in district qualifying bees held in public school districts as well as a homeschool and private school districts throughout North Idaho.

"A total of 54 schools are involved in this year's spelling bee from 11 districts across North Idaho, including home schoolers and private schoolers," said North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee Coordinator Mindy Patterson. "Congratulations to those who qualified for the regional bee this year - it's an amazing accomplishment."

The spellers will compete against each other, regardless of grade level, beginning at 9 a.m. in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center on NIC's main campus. Registration for participants will begin at 8:30 a.m.

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

Information: (208) 769-3316.

Fourth-grade participants:

Chase Tucker, Valley View Elementary, Boundary County School District No. 101

Grant O'Brien, Ramsey Elementary, Coeur d'Alene School District No. 271

Josiah Pinkerton of Coeur d'Alene, Home School District

Riley Rollins, Sunnyside Elementary, Kellogg School District No. 391

Amanda Cabral, Harrison Elementary, Kootenai School District No. 274

Jaycee Forell, Sagle Elementary, Lake Pend Oreille School District No. 84

Olivia Cooper, Garwood Elementary, Lakeland School District No. 272

Darren Higgins, Lakeside Elementary, Plummer-Worley School District No. 44

Carson Lux, Lutheran Academy of the Master, Private School District

Randie Becktel, Heyburn Elementary, St. Maries School District No. 41

Brenna Ells, Priest River Elementary, West Bonner County School District No. 83

Fifth-grade participants:

Katie Clairmont, Valley View Elementary, Boundary County School District No. 101

Andrea Golden, Fernan Elementary, Coeur d'Alene School District No. 271

Kiara Whalen of Spirit Lake, Home School District

Elizabeth Langer, Sunnyside Elementary, Kellogg School District No. 391

Kennedy Lafountaine, Harrison Elementary, Kootenai School District No. 274

Ilijah Karasek, Washington Elementary, Lake Pend Oreille School District No. 84

Kaiden Pollard, John Brown Elementary, Lakeland School District No. 272

Regina Flemming, Lakeside Elementary, Plummer-Worley School District No. 44

Ben Brock, North Idaho Christian School, Private School District

Madison Chase, Heyburn Elementary, St. Maries School District No. 41

Kara Slater, Idaho Hill Elementary, West Bonner County School District No. 83

Sixth-grade participants:

Charcy Bullock, Boundary County Middle School, Boundary County School District No. 101

Tristan Kruenegel, Sorensen Elementary, Coeur d'Alene School District No. 271

Esther, Pinkerton of Coeur d'Alene, Home School District

Alexadra Lile, Kellogg Middle School, Kellogg School District No. 391

Cheyenne Wellman, Kootenai Junior/Senior High School, Kootenai School District No. 274

Natalia Madison, Sandpoint Middle School, Lake Pend Oreille School District No. 84

Alyssa Adams, Athol Elementary, Lakeland School District No. 272

Brandon Jimenez, Lakeside Elementary, Plummer-Worley School District No. 44

Preston Pfau, North Idaho Christian School, Private School District

Jon Ingersoll, St. Maries Middle School, St. Maries School District No. 41

Chloe Livingston, Priest River Elementary, West Bonner County School District No. 83

Seventh-grade participants:

Mariah Roy, Boundary County Middle School, Boundary County School District No. 101

Evan Schwaab, Lakes Middle School, Coeur d'Alene School District No. 271

Rebekah Pinkerton of Coeur d'Alene, Home School District

Jordan Lo, Kellogg Middle School, Kellogg School District No. 391

Madison Napierala, Kootenai Junior/Senior High School, Kootenai School District No. 274

Maleah Harshman, Sandpoint/Forrest M. Bird Charter School Lake Pend Oreille School District No. 84

Hailey Russell, Lakeland Junior High School, Lakeland School District No. 272

Thorin Panke, Silver Valley Christian Academy, Private School District

Alex Beauchman, St. Maries Middle School, St. Maries School District No. 41

Garrett Naccarato, Priest River Junior High, West Bonner County School District No. 83

Eighth-grade participants:

Travis Zigler, Boundary County Middle School, Boundary County School District No. 101

Tricia McCullough, Canfield Middle School, Coeur d'Alene School District No. 271

Austin Bartley, Kellogg Middle School, Kellogg School District No. 391

Michaela Lafountaine, Kootenai Junior/Senior High, Kootenai School District No. 274

Mackenzie Wolfe, Sandpoint Middle School, Lake Pend Oreille School District No. 84

Cassie Tappa, Lakeland Junior High, Lakeland School District No. 272

Brilliana Preston, Christian Center School, Private School District

Kiefer Gibson, St. Maries Middle School, St. Maries School District No. 41

Jonathan Miller, Priest River Junior High, West Bonner County School District No. 83