MOANALUA — Spencer Setka, a 12-year-old homeschooled student and son of an Air Force major, correctly spelled "regatta" in the final round to win last night's Central district spelling bee.

Setka and runner-up Anthony Fugo, who is also homeschooled, will compete in the state Spelling Bee on March 11 at Windward Community College.

Twenty-seven middle-school students began last night's district bee at Moanalua Middle School. The bee lasted six rounds.

Setka is the son of Maj. Dominic and Leslie Setka of Hickam Air Force Base. His mother is his teacher and spelling coach.

Leslie Setka said her son and Fugo are friends. Both boys are homeschooled and are affiliated with the Military Home Educators Network.

Setka, an eighth-grader, said he studied in earnest for the last two weeks, sometimes all day long.

"I feel really good that all my studying paid off," Spencer said.

Leslie Setka said her son has always been a gifted student. At the family's previous home in Alaska, she said, Spencer was in the gifted class in which students were three grade levels above their actual grades.

This is her first year home-schooling her son, she said.

"It's been a very positive experience. He enjoys it, so it makes it all worthwhile," Leslie Setka said.

Setka and Fugo were the final two spellers. Fugo misspelled "troika." Setka then won the district bee by correctly spelling two words in a row: "dungaree" and "regatta."

His winning word was also the trickiest for him, he said. "I got that word wrong several times while studying it," he said.

Setka said he was nervous coming into the contest but felt he could win it.

"Some of the pronunciations weren't what I was used to, but I just picked the closest one that was in the book," he said.

The state spelling bee will be telecast on OC-16.

The state winner will receive a trip to Washington, D.C., to compete in May at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.