CALUMET CITY | Perhaps former Vice President Dan Quayle could have been of help.

The fact that there is no "e" at the end of the word "domino" prevented one contestant from advancing from the Illinois division of the 60th annual Times Spelling Bee on Saturday morning in the Thornton Fractional North High School auditorium.

In fact, no seventh-graders will represent Illinois in next Saturday's finals at Munster High School, as neither of the two contestants could spell their words correctly.

The three sixth-graders and three eighth-graders who did advance all represent Lansing schools. Each received trophies for their efforts, including Heritage Middle School sixth-grader Aaliyah McGuire.

"Since it's next week, I'll probably practice every day," McGuire said.

Lansing Christian School sixth-grader Dustin Pluard shared his retro approach to spelling success.

"I read the 1995 National Spelling Bee Book," he said. "That's the only one my teacher had."

Pluard is pessimistic about his chances in the finals.

"I think I'm going to lose," he said. "People can spell crazy words in like the National Spelling Bee and stuff."

Kevin Quealy, a sixth-grader at St. Ann's School, said he felt great about advancing.

"I've been good at spelling all my life, so I'm glad I get to move on in this," he said.

Thornton Fractional North High School English teacher Richard Province served as director for the Illinois division and explained what spelling bees do for students.

"It gives one a sense of confidence," he said. "The mental acuity is worth the competition itself."

More than 100 students from more than two dozen schools participated in The Times bee, which took place in five locations. Those locations were Calumet City, Hammond, East Chicago, Crown Point and Valparaiso.

The final round of The Times District Spelling Bee is Saturday at Munster High School.

One winner will emerge, qualifying for an expenses-paid trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., in late spring.