Slideshow: Extra! spelling quiz
Ten teams from Dunstan High School, Cromwell College and Wakatipu High School competed in the competition, run by the Otago Daily Times through its Newspapers in Education publication Extra! The Dunstan team of Stine-Lise Budge, Charlotte Stringer and Nick Pascoe scored 92 out of 100 in the 10-round quiz.
Going into the final round the team was tied with Cromwell College (Katie Edgar, Chantal Green and Connie Facer) but Dunstan edged ahead in the last round.
"We've had the odd occasion when we needed a tie-breaker but this was certainly one of our closest finishes," quiz co-ordinator and Extra! editor Ivan Behrnes said.
In third place were were Ruby Neutze, Bridget Kirk and Izzy Logez, of Wakatipu High School.
The pupils were tested on their spelling, tenses, proof-reading, abbreviations, dictionary skills, root words and endings and the country of origin of some words.
Abbreviations proved tricky for a few contestants, with "alternative grumpy Mums" offered up as the full version of AGM.
The Central Otago quiz is the first of four Extra! spelling quizzes, with contests also in Timaru, Christchurch and Dunedin within the next month.
Mr Behrnes said younger Central Otago pupils would have their turn today.
A total of 43 year 5 and 6 teams will vie for top honours later this afternoon, with 41 teams lining up to decide which school is the best at year 7 and 8 level tonight.
The Extra! current events quiz will take place in the four centres during September and October.
