A 12-year-old St. Paul’s Lutheran School student is competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee today and has made in through the first round.

Josiah Carter Daily, who earlier this year won the Cullman County Spelling Bee, is among five Alabama students and 500 nationwide represented at the Scripps competition in Washington D.C.

Daily’s mother, Shannon Daily, said her son has a passion for words and has won numerous competitions on his way to the national stage.

“He’s excited to be here,” Shannon Daily said. “This is a lifelong dream to make it to the nationals, no matter how far he goes.”

Carter Daily, besides his extraordinary spelling ability, is also a scuba diver and has explored many of the springs in north and east Florida. 

He will attend St. Bernard Preparatory School in the fall.

The competition can viewed on ESPN 3, and then switches to ESPN on Thursday and Friday.