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Ryan Berkoski wins Dillingham Spelling Bee a second time

Avery Lill/ KDLG

Dillingham elementary and middle schoolers competed Thursday for a trip to Anchorage and a chance to compete in the Alaska State Spelling Bee.

“Icarus” was the winning word, as Ryan Berkoski spelled his way to the top of the Dillingham Spelling Bee. This sixth grader and two-time spelling bee champion is on his way to Anchorage in March for the Alaska State Spelling Bee. Calm and focused as he spells each of his words, Berkoski says that he still gets nervous when he steps to the microphone.

“My heart’s beating really fast, and I get scared,” he said after the bee. “But when they tell me to spell a word that I know, I get really excited.”

Fourth grader, Gustina Alexie, is the elementary champion. She will also be competing at the state spelling bee in Anchorage. She says that, after practicing for weeks, winning feels “awesome.”

Contact the author at avery@kdlg.org or 907-842-5281.