An Edina eighth-grader is headed to the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the third consecutive year after she aced the metro regional finals.
Anja Beth Swoap, 14, a student at Valley View Middle School, correctly spelled "triforium" after 16 rounds at the Seven County Metro Area Regional Spelling Bee at the Minnesota History Center. Swoap beat out 55 others, including magnet school and home school students.
Swoap will head to the national bee June 1-2 in Washington. It's her third appearance and her last year to compete. She made it to the semifinals last year. Minneapolis law firm Lockridge Grindal Nauen will pay for her trip, along with that of a parent.
Jasmine Lim, 14, of Joseph Nicollet Junior High in Burnsville took second place at the regional bee, while Paul Difuccia, 10, from Holy Family Home Educators took third.
Other bees are taking place around the state to determine other Minnesota spellers who will head to Washington.
According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, a triforium is a gallery forming an upper story to the aisle of a church and typically an arcaded story between the nave arches and clerestory.
ABBY SIMONS
