HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Congratulations to Erin Howard, who is headed to the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the third year in a row!

Over the weekend, Howard won the Alabama Spelling Bee for her third consecutive year, which means she advances to the national competition.  The event was held in Alabaster.

Her winning word was calvarium, Erin’s mother tells us.

“She hadn’t seen it but used her knowledge of Latin words to figure it out. In the previous round, she spelled biennium correctly, when the other two missed their words,” said Adrienne Howard. “The round before that all three missed their words. So we were all nervous to say the least.”

Other words Howard got in the final rounds were usurious, neuron, paramount, mercantile, and instability.

The bee lasted about four and a half hours and 14 rounds, and started with 50 competitors.

Erin is a seventh grader at Mt. Gap P-8 School in Huntsville.  The 91st Scripps National Spelling Bee will be held in National Harbor, Maryland from May 29-31, 2018.