WASHINGTON — Six Kentucky students took part in the first round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee Tuesday, and two have advanced to compete in Wednesday's quarterfinals. 

Lexington sixth-grader Oliviah Braun was knocked out after adding a second “l” in “eluate,” a chemistry term. Though she was disappointed, she said she was proud to be there.

“I feel like I could have done better, but I’m going to try again next year and see how that works out,” Braun said.

Anna Theresa Greenwell of Hopkinsville, Aarya Mehendale of Florence and Joshua Bullen of Hopkinsville made it to the bee but did not advance to the quarterfinals.

Ian Gibson was participating in his second bee, after striking out in the third round last year.  

The Hopkinsville eighth-grader’s first word of the competition Tuesday, "lanceolate," was one he’d seen before.

The first winner of the spelling bee in 1925 was from Louisville, 11-year-old Frank Neuhauser.

He correctly spelled “gladiolus” and was awarded a stack of gold coins worth $500 and a visit with then-President Calvin Coolidge, according to information provided by the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Representing Louisville this year is Zachary Rara, who nailed the word “piscivorous,” which is used to describe an animal that feeds on fish.

“I just really like getting a word right, and it’s really fun to see how every single part of the word comes together to create that word,” he said.

Gibson and Rara were the only two Kentuckians to advance to the third round of competition Tuesday, where Gibson correctly spelled “pachysandra” and Rara correctly spelled “zanja.” They are scheduled to compete in Wednesday's quarterfinals.

The champion will be determined Thursday.