More than 25 local students gathered together at North Forsyth High School Performing Arts Center on Saturday to test their spelling skills during the annual Forsyth County Spelling Bee. But only one emerged as the champion speller.

She is 13-year-old Rachel Walter, an eighth grade student at Lakeside Middle School who correctly spelled the word, "wheeze."

Julia Vallier, a fifth grade student at Chestatee Elementary and last year's champion speller, is this year's first runner up. Tyler Xu from Brookwood Elementary was second runner up and Claire Deng representing Whitlow Elementary was third runner up.

Aside from their trophies, Walter, Vallier and Xu each received gifts from Barnes & Noble, Stars and Strikes, and Hiser Orthodontics.

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Editor's Note: The first and second runners up also advance to the district spelling bee.