Huge congratulations to Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton (JWP) eighth grader Ava Place, who has returned home after representing South Central Minnesota at the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.!
By winning both the JWP school bee and the South Central Minnesota regional bee, Ava became the first student ever from JWP, Janesville, Waldorf, or Pemberton schools to qualify for and compete at the national level.
During the national competition on May 26, Ava performed exceptionally well. She was ultimately eliminated in an agonizingly close call on the word “Galahad,” misspelling it as “galihad”—just a single letter off. Despite the heartbreaking moment, Ava’s poise and maturity stood out on the national stage.
JWP Spelling Bee Coordinator Jace Emory shared his pride in her performance.
“Needless to say, I was very proud of Ava’s effort and composure,” Emory said. “What impressed me most about her is how she addressed the pronouncer as Dr. Bailey instead of an informal ‘hello’ or ‘hi’ like other competitors did. She did that on her own, and that showed a lot of class and respect for the magnitude of the moment.”
Beyond the intense competition, Ava enjoyed a memorable, event-filled week in the nation’s capital. Alongside eight other talented spellers representing Minnesota—including Wade Salvey, who made an impressive run to round nine—Ava received exclusive, private access to tour the Smithsonian Institution and participated in several special events hosted for the competitors.
While her spelling journey in D.C. ended abruptly, reaching the national stage is a monumental achievement for the young Bulldog. Ava has been a regional academic powerhouse for years, sweeping both the local Spelling and Social Studies Bees at JWP for three consecutive years.
As she prepares to bring her impressive academic streak into her high school career, Ava Place has truly left her mark and made her entire community incredibly proud. Her historic achievements have set a new standard of excellence for JWP, paving the way for future Bulldogs to dream big.
