Jordi De Jong, an eighth-grader at Villa Maria Academy, was the last contestant standing in this year’s Chester County Spelling Bee.

Winning with the word “L-U-C-I-D,” De Jong advances to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., for the second consecutive year.

When asked how she will better prepare herself for her second appearance on the national stage, De Jong said, “I’ll study more, work more, and become more familiarized with the material. Since I know what to expect, I can try new things and come out of my shell more in Washington, D.C.”

Srijan Velamuri of Lionville Middle School, Gayatri Venkatesan of Stetson Middle School, and Niranjan Vijayakrishnan of Valley Forge Middle School tied for second, while Soham Katdare of Downingtown Middle School, Angelina McGrath of Fred S. Engle Middle School, Ritish Kodali of Great Valley Middle School, and Bethany Yany of Tredyffrin-Easttown Middle School tied for third.

During the event, 45 students from 45 different schools spelled their way through 246 words. Participants earned their spot in the Chester County Spelling Bee by winning their individual school’s spelling bee.

Students prepared for the competition by studying Scripps-provided word lists and practicing at home.

“I tested myself a lot,” De Jong said. “I wanted to make sure I read over the words all the time. I was looking over them constantly, and then having my mom test me on them to make sure I was comfortable spelling them aloud and really getting to know them.

“Last year, it was shocking, and I didn’t think I could ever do it again. As I went into this year, I had more faith in myself, and I thought I could do it again.”