Caroline Beckwith, an 11-year-old seventh-grader, won the Cumberland County Spelling Bee over a field of 31 spellers Wednesday night at Falmouth Middle School.
Caroline, who lives in Winterport and attends a virtual school – South Portland-based Maine Connections Academy – correctly spelled “phobic” in the seventh round, after two other spellers faltered after five perfect rounds.
Lila Gaudrault of Cape Elizabeth Middle School and Tina Degenhardt of Lyman Moore Middle School tied for second place. There were 99 words used by the pronouncer, Falmouth Middle School librarian Peg Becksvoort.
Beckwith advances to the Maine State Spelling Bee, scheduled for 2 p.m. March 21 at Hannaford Hall on the University of Southern Maine’s Portland campus.
Correction: This story was updated at 12:52 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12 to correct the winning word.
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