Thomas County 7th grade student Mia Freeman survived many rounds of competition to win this year's spelling bee for the county schools.  To narrow down the competition, prior spelling bees were held at Cross Creek Elementary and Thomas County Middle School for students in fourth through eighth grades.

Mia Freeman walked away a winner after defeating an eighth-grade student from the middle school, Anaya Patel, who was runner-up, and a fifth-grader who placed 3rd, Rafael Rios.

Freeman spelled "Bangalore" correctly to win the competition consisting of 13 students.  She will compete in the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE) District Spelling Bee on February 25 in Bainbridge.