Year 9 pupil Luca Holloway (13) was one of 19 finalists in the New Zealand Spelling Bee on Saturday, chosen to represent the lower South Island, along with South Otago High School pupil Annie Schofield, after the Dunedin heats of the competition.
More than 100 schools from around the country take part in the competition, which is now in its 14th year.
The first phase of the competition is a written classroom test, followed by six semifinals held around New Zealand in which the top 200 spellers compete.
Marlborough Boys' College year 10 pupil George Turner won the competition this year by correctly spelling "frankincense''.
Luca was tied for second place with Trident High School year 10 pupil Ben White, of Whakatane, and home-schooled Christchurch competitor Bernadette Barrett.
Luca said he definitely intended to enter again next year, and had enjoyed getting to know the pupils from other schools, and the special dinner that was held for competitors.
"It's cool meeting all the other people who are there; it's quite a social event,'' he said.
"I was nervous at the start, but I got more confident towards the end.''
Luca said art was his favourite subject at school, rather than English, but he "did read a lot''.
He travelled to Wellington for the competition, which was held in the City Gallery on Saturday afternoon.
New Zealand Spelling Bee founder Janet Lucas said the calibre of pupils in the final was exceptional this year.
