WASHINGTON D.C. (WTAQ) - Wisconsin's only entry in the National Spelling Bee passed her first verbal test Wednesday.
13-year-old Karelyn Malliet of Shawano correctly spelled "graupel," which is a granular snow pellet.
Only 24 of the 281 young contestants did not advance to the third round of the preliminaries, which are taking place Wednesday afternoon in Washington.
The spellers scored points in a written exam before facing the judges and a national audience for the first time Wednesday. Those who correctly spell their third-round words will advance to the semi-finals Wednesday night and Thursday.
Karelyn is a 7th-grader who volunteers at Shawano's humane society, with the goal of becoming a veterinarian.
(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)