4 Minnesota kids advance to Scripps National Spelling Bee quarterfinals
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota is cheering on four kids who've advanced into the quarterfinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Yupeng Chen, 14, is an eighth grader at Ordean East Middle School in Duluth. He plays violin in the Duluth Superior Symphony Youth Orchestra. He has a huge passion for plants, with more than 100 orchids in his collection.
William Rausch, 13, is an eighth grader at Royalton Middle School in Royalton, about 90 minutes north of the Twin Cities. He loves to watch and play sports. His favorite team is the Minnesota Timberwolves, and his favorite player is Anthony Edwards. He competed in the bee last year and tied for 173rd place.
Jaden Go, 13, is a seventh grader at Sacred Heart School in Grand Forks, Minnesota. He plays the piano, violin and trumpet. He's played tennis since the age of 5 and has even won some tournaments. Go hopes to be an interventional cardiologist someday.
Kai Riedner, 11, is from Excelsior and is a sixth grader at Minnetonka Middle School West. He's taken guitar and drum lessons, plays trombone at school and is teaching himself how to play keyboard. He speaks Polish, Spanish and English and is planning to study French.
They are among the 148 quarterfinalists who return to the stage Wednesday morning. You can catch all the orthographic action on ION Plus.
