Three local elementary school students showed off their spelling expertise last month, which will propel them to a regional competition later this month.

The Greater Hightstown Juniorettes hosted the annual township Spelling Bee for fourth and fifth graders at Rogers Elementary School last month.

First place winner Nathan Ackerman, a fifth grader at Ethel McKnight Elementary School, received a $50 Dairy Queen gift card, while second place winner Ishika Raj, a fifth grader at Perry L. Drew Elementary School, and third place winner Vineeth Duggirala, a fifth grader at McKnight, also received gift cards from Dairy Queen.

The owner of Dairy Queen generously donated a free ice cream cone to all 60 spelling bee participants.

The three winners will now move onto the Regional Spelling Bee, which is scheduled for Feb. 23, at the Franklin School Auditorium in Kearny (snow date March 2).

The Greater Hightstown Juniorettes (GHJ) is a community service club for girls ages 12-18, sponsored by The Friday  Club of Hightstown. For more information on Juniorettes and junior clubs in New Jersey, see www.jerseyjuniors.com.