Gwinnett Daily Post

SUWANEE -- Two of Gwinnett County's own are going toe-to-toe with other top spellers from around the state Friday.

Kelsey Dabrowski, a Berkmar Middle eighth-grader and Lexine Feng, a homeschooler from Peachtree Corners, will be at Georgia State University's student center at 11 a.m. Friday contending for the title of Georgia's best speller.

One of the event's coordinators, Donnis Terry, said that last year Gwinnett County Public Schools had two participants in the state championship as well.

Terry said the winner and runner-up from Friday's big event will go on to face off against the best of the best in the whole country for the national spelling bee title.

Dabrowski and Feng won their way into the state championship by outperforming competitors in the District 3 spelling bee in February.

The top 12 spellers from GCPS and a winner from Buford City competed in the District 3 event at North Gwinnett High School against other school systems including Banks, Barrow, Buford City, Gainesville City, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Jackson, Jefferson City, Madison, Rabun, Stephens, a private school and three home schools.