Update: Corrected the spelling of several winners.

The best fourth- and fifth-grade spellers took the stage at Dowagiac Middle School Thursday for the annual district spelling bee.

The top six spellers in each grade were selected to move onto the county bee next month.

Shown are the fifth-grade winners, from left: Ruby Vega (Sister Lakes), Landen Taggart (Patrick Hamilton), Sara Torbet (Patrick Hamilton), Jeffrey Moore (Justus Gage), Olivia Stanger (Patrick Hamilton), and Abraham Guernsey (Patrick Hamilton). In the rear is Mike Frazier, the former middle school principal and this year’s spelling bee pronouncer.