Ellington

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Desiree Roby, a 6th grade home schooled student from Jackson, is Mississippi's 2013 Spelling Bee Champion.

Roby won the Mississippi Spelling Bee in the 26th round Tuesday by successfully spelling "dowager," defined as an elderly woman of wealth and dignity.

She now goes to the 86th Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., May 28-30.

The runner-up was Dev Jaiswal, a 6th grade student from Winston Academy. Dev was eliminated in Round 25 with the word "styptic," defined as tending to halt bleeding by contracting the tissues or blood vessels.

The Mississippi Spelling Bee was broadcast live on Mississippi Public Broadcasting and was sponsored by the Mississippi Association of Educators.