National spelling bee run ends in Round 3 for North Idaho student

North Idaho Spelling Bee champion Amiah Van Hill is out of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy eighth grader made it to Round 3 of the competition, correctly spelling "mange-tout" in the first round and accurately defining what it means during the bee's word meaning round.

"She’s doing it," Amiah's mom, Rachel Van Hill, shared Tuesday morning via email with The Press. "Living out her dream on that stage!"

Amiah was disqualified from the national bee when she misspelled the word "tirthankara" in the third round.

In February, Amiah spelled the winning word, "stimuli," at the North Idaho Spelling Bee, earning a gold trophy, $1,000 and a trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Idaho Character Foundation nonprofit. She was the runner-up at the local bee in 2023.

Amiah had dreamed of making it to the national spelling bee stage since she was little.

"It’s all really cool. It's kind of surreal," Amiah said via phone after Round 3 ended Tuesday afternoon.

"I've wanted to be here for so long, and now that I’m finally here it’s like, 'Oh my gosh! It's so crazy!'" she said.

Rachel Van Hill said Amiah was thrilled to be on that stage to fulfill a goal she set when she was just 3 years old.

“Being able to live that moment herself, which she watched 10 years ago on TV, was just a dream come true for her," Rachel Van Hill said. "Of course she’s bummed she misspelled that word, but she is so excited to be here."

This was not Amiah's first time in the spotlight. When she was just 6, she started the nonprofit Lemonade 4 Lunch to help students pay off school lunch debt in the Coeur d'Alene School District. She raised more than $23,000, earning the title of "GoFundMe Kid Hero," and she became the youngest person in Idaho to receive the Outstanding Youth Philanthropist Award. She also made an appearance on "The Rachel Ray Show."

Although it was disappointing the journey already came to an end, Rachel Van Hill said her daughter is staying positive and is simply honored to participate.

"It's like the Super Bowl," she said. "You always have fun at the Super Bowl no matter the outcome."

Amiah said she might major in English when she graduates from high school.

"I think that would be really fun to read more, write more, things like that,” she said.

She and her family now plan to see the sights in D.C., including a tour of the Georgetown University campus.

"I'm assuming we’re going to Capitol Hill and I'm really excited about that to see everything that’s around there,” Amiah said. "It makes me so happy."