WASHINGTON — After correctly spelling in the first oral round at the National Spelling Bee, Talmage Nakamoto, a seventh-grader at Konawaena Middle School in Kealakekua, did not score high enough on the written test to move to the quarterfinals.

Nakamoto was among 288 spellers competing today to become the 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion.

Nakamoto, 13, emerged as the top speller among 14 district champions in March to win the state championship and the trip to Washington to compete in the two-day spelling bee.