WASHINGTON, D.C. — Skilled spellers from across the country are gathered this week just outside the nation’s capital for the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The spellers this year, including 17 from Ohio, have a daunting task: to memorize the spelling of 4,000 words for a chance at a $50,000 prize and the title of national spelling bee champion.

The words at the bee, like “leberwurst,” “rennet” and “creaces,” are uncommon, much like the spellers themselves.

Even among the 245 spellers, Ryan Frazee of Wheelersburg, Ohio is unique. At age 15, he is the oldest contestant this year. However, he said he was just happy to meet other kids from around the country who also like spelling.

“I just like learning the words, vocabulary,” Ryan said. “I’m the mindset of all these other people. I kind of feel integrated with everybody else.”

The Wheelersburg Middle School eighth grader has only been a competitive speller for three years, mostly training on his own by reading the dictionary.

“He is constantly reading. That’s really what’s gotten him here, is his love for reading and his love for vocabulary. And he knows words that, you know, I’ve never even heard of,” said Ryan’s mom, Melissa Frazee.

Frazee said his favorite word was “boogie-woogie” because it includes repetition, rhyme and hyphenation.

Unfortunately, Ryan misspelled the word “obeisance,” meaning deferential respect, by one letter Tuesday in the preliminary round, knocking him out of the spelling bee.

His parents, though, said just making it to the national spelling bee was a win in itself.

“He’s very witty, very clever,” said Ryan’s dad, Sean Frazee. “We’re very proud of him.”

Several Ohio spellers are advancing to the quarterfinals round on Wednesday. The champion will be determined on Thursday night.

The last Ohio champion was Anamika Veeramani, who won with the word “stromuhr” in 2010.