Four students from Duluth are among the 21 brainiacs competing at the Multi-Regional State Spelling Bee on Tuesday in Fergus Falls and the chance to leave a national television audience spellbound a couple of months later.

The winner advances to the 83nd Annual National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., on June 2-4, which will be televised nationally and has been the subject of a popular Hollywood movie and an acclaimed documentary.

The four competitors from Duluth are seventh-graders Devin Johnson and Alyssa Everson (both from Woodland Middle School), and Zadie Baker (Marshall), along with eighth-grader Ian Peters (Marshall).

Minnesota has had one national spelling champion, Sean Conley of Shakopee, in 2001.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482