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Shirley Campen, Alexander Campen (7), Cooper Campen (12) and Brad Campen celebrate Cooper's of the 2024 Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. The Campens' are a homeschooling family and this is Cooper's second year competing. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)
28 Images

Photo gallery: 2024 Alachua County Spelling Bee

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Shirley Campen, Alexander Campen (7), Cooper Campen (12) and Brad Campen celebrate Cooper's of the 2024 Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. The Campens' are a homeschooling family and this is Cooper's second year competing. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)  
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Edwin Gao, right, representing Linclon Middle School, prays as his opponent Cooper Campen, ,left, who is homeschooled, spells for the judges during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024.(Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News) 
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Leila Sapp of Rawlings Elementary wipes away tears after her elimination from the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)  
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Aidan Burgess, representing Alachua Elementary, listens to a competitor during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)  
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Briceston Bolton of Shell Elementary approaches the microphone during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)  
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Spectators cheer during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)  
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Zoe Nelson of Cornertsone Academy Elementary sits nervously as she waits for her turn during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)  
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Avyaan Khar of Foster Elementary burns his face in his hand as his turn approaches during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)  
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Spectators clap as another round comes to an end during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024.(Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News) 
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Host Patrick Gallagher encourages contestants to take a deep breath as they approach the next round of the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News).  
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Maya Zielinski of Kanapaha Middle School concentrates during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)  
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Alex Chang, left, of Kimball Wiles Elementary looks on as a competitor receives a challenging word during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)  
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Sri Srinath of Howard W. Bishop Middle School expresses shock as a fellow contestant is eliminated from the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)  
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Spectators watch during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)  
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Alachua County Spelling Bee Coordinator Don Fitzpatrick listens as students spell during the competition at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)  
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Spectators watch theAlachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News) 
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Mekhi Waldon of Archer Elementary is comforted by a member after his elimination from the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)  
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Merritt Tricoche, right, of Idlewild Elementary hugs her mom after a successful round during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News) 
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Owen Zaragoza of High Springs Community School takes his turn at the microphone during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News) 
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The crowd of contestants is whittled down during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News) 
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Jude Ranvestel, left, representing Westwood Middle School, and Aisosa Lyamu, right, representing St. Patrick's Interparish Middle School, sit nervously as the host reorganizes the final seven spellers during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News) 
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Seats sit empty toward the end of the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News) 
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Norris Ding, right, grips his hands as host Patrick Gallagher reminds contestants of the final rules during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News) 
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Anneliese Smith, left, of Fort Clarke Middle School, and Mitchell Eastman, right, of Cornerstone Academy Middle School, watch as Zoe Nelson, center, representing Cornerstone Academy Elementary, spells during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News)  
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Cooper Campen asks the judges for a definition during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News) 
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Cooper Campen sits anxiously during the final moments of the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024.(Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News) 
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Cooper Campen, left, reacts as Edwin Gao, right, spells a word incorrectly during the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News) 
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Cooper Camen, left, and Edwin Gao, right, pose for a photo after coming in first and second place in the Alachua County Spelling Bee at Idlewild Elementary School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Sydney Johnson/ WUFT News) 
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