Ten-year-old Joseph Moran taught himself to read when he was only 5.

"I can't take the credit for that," Joseph's mom, Sally, said Tuesday. "He's always loved words."

Joseph's early knack for reading and spelling is already paying off. He is now one of the area's youngest students to advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington, D.C., after winning the North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee at North Idaho College in March.

He defeated many older students to achieve victory, including Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy eighth-grader Maria Aguiar in the final round.

"It felt pretty good, especially since this was my first year ever being in a spelling bee," said Joseph, who won after correctly spelling the word "mediocre."

Originally from Georgia, Joseph and his family moved to Hayden about six years ago. The North Idaho Home Educators Association fifth-grader enjoys riding his bike, playing baseball and roller skating. Although he doesn't have his career path mapped out quite yet, he said he does enjoy studying science.

"I like learning new things and finding out how the world works," he said.

Mindy Patterson, who has coordinated the regional bee for about eight years, said it's not common for fifth-graders to win first place at the regional competition. Joseph is only the second fifth-grader since the bee's inception in 2004 to advance to nationals; the last time a fifth-grader went was 2011.

"His maturity is well beyond his young 10 years," Patterson said. "To accomplish what he did at such a young age makes me think he has a very bright future in front of him."

For the Morans, it was a pleasant surprise that their son triumphed despite his young age and lack of formal spelling bee experience. Sally said he has a very good mind for memorization.

"We thought he had a chance. But when it actually happened it was still quite shocking, we were in shock," she said.

"We were pretty amazed, but he's always been a really great speller and reader."

Joseph said it's been pretty "exhausting" and "a little bit nerve-racking" preparing for the national spelling bee. He studies an hour or two every day and acknowledges which words are the trickiest for him.

"French words tend to be my weakness," he said. "Most of them have silent letters at the end, and it's hard to figure out if the silent letter is an 'r' or an 's' or an 'x.'"

Joseph and his mom will journey to D.C. for Bee Week where Joseph, speller No. 144, will compete against national and international students. This is the 90th year for the Scripps Bee.

The champion will win a $40,000 cash prize and engraved trophy from Scripps, a $2,500 U.S. savings bond and complete reference library from Merriam-Webster and $400 of reference works including a 1768 Encyclopedia Britannica Replica Set Deluxe Edition and three-year membership to Britannica Online.

The first-place speller will also receive a trip to New York City to appear on "LIVE with Kelly."

"I just want to at least make it to the finals since nobody else from North Idaho has ever gotten there,” Joseph said.

The bee will air live on ESPN from the Gaylord National near D.C. on May 31 and June 1.

Info: www.spellingbee.com