Durham student Frank Dumas earns right to compete in Scripps National Spelling Bee this summer

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- A 4th grader in Durham will be competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this summer.

Frank Dumas won a trip to Washington D.C. to compete in the spelling bee after winning the Duke Regional Spelling Bee.

Frank's mother challenged him and his twin sister to take their education a step further after she saw them studying Spanish and French words in Duolingo. The siblings were using the language app to uncover new words and learn about their spellings and etymology.

"I challenged them to step out of their comfort zone," their mother recalled.

Frank really took to the challenge because, in his words, "I thought that I could do it." And do it he did, he's now landed himself among a pool of just 200 peers across the country who earned the privilege to participate in this year's spelling bee.

The success is no surprised to Frank's fourth grade teacher Nicole Thompson.

"Frank is extremely hard-working, always putting 100 percent into his work. He really is a team player. He wants everyone to do well together," she said.

"He doesn't like to mess up so he will put in a lot of effort to study and come up with strategies that help him reach his goals. He's always seeking to find out how he can overcome any challenges that he faces so he can be successful," Frank's mother said.