Champion. C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N. Champion.

That’s what Alvey Elementary School fourth grader Siya Sampath is after winning this year’s 45th annual Prince William Regional Spelling Bee. The event, held at Gar-Field High School and sponsored by InsideNoVa and the Bel Air Woman’s Club, hosted 41 spellers from schools around the region.

Siya clinched the championship with her successful spelling of the word “gallivat."

“I’m really happy because I studied really hard and it paid off,” said Sampath.

Sampath now advances to the nationally televised Scripps National Spelling Bee in late May.