Three island kids proved victorious at the 10th annual island Regional Spelling Bee on Feb. 5 at the Orcas Christian School. The annual event is coordinated with the Orcas Island Public Library.

Fourth-grader Hazel McKenzie (Orcas Island Elementary), seventh-grader Milana Schneider (Orcas Island Middle school) and eighth-grader Nicholas Rivera (Orcas Christian School) earned spots at the Skagit County Regional Spelling Bee on March 23 in Mount Vernon.

Rivera and McKenzie attended the off-island bee. Rivera made it to the final round while McKenzie made it to round 6, competing against kids as old as the eighth grade.