After 40 rounds, Oakridge Middle School seventh-grader Bharath Ram improved his second-place finish from 2017 to win the Collier County district spelling bee. He earned the trophy and the trip to the national finals with “fortification.” He said spelling is important to him, but he wasn't able to study much because of a different academic competition. That will change for nationals.

Photo credit: Olivia Vanni, Naples Daily News