Oliver Halkett of Mirman School Competed on Thursday for a $50,000 prize

Thirteen-year-old Oliver Halkett , a seventh grader from Mirman School in Bel Air, earned a spot in the finals of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee, becoming a rare contender from Los Angeles County to reach the championship stage.

Halkett advanced to Thursday’s final round after successfully navigating both the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds on Wednesday, accurately spelling five words and it was a great achievement for Halkett to compete at the national level.

This marks Halkett’s second appearance at the national level. In 2024, he tied for 60th place. He qualified for this year’s bee by winning the Los Angeles County Regional Spelling Bee in April, triumphing in a 16-round battle by correctly spelling

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