A look at five of the most epic showdowns in Bee history f a
SPECIAL Companion Guide
Read about all 243 national competitors
100 YEARS OF BEE HISTORY
Celebrate a century of spelling excellence and Bee Week experiences with this captivating 168-page hardcover book commemorating the Scripps National Spelling Bee’s 100th anniversary. Featuring rare photographs, compelling stories of champions, and glimpses behind the scenes, the book showcases how this cherished American tradition has captivated audiences and brought together students from all walks of life. Pre-order now to secure your copy of this limited edition tribute to linguistic and educational excellence!
Feªturing ...
18 • Spelling Bee took place with nine participants. How exactly did this all get started and who was behind the creation of a national competition? Well, the story begins in Louisville, Kentucky.
20 • There are so many families that have been engaged in the Scripps National Spelling Bee over present. We set out to identify and celebrate some of the most active and successful.
26 • Bee has its share of drama. We sifted through history competition. See what you think.
30 • Between 2012 and 2017, three spellers who were 6 years old competed in the Scripps National Spelling in 2017. We talked to all three about their experiences and the impact of their Bee Weeks.
34 • We highlight spellers who put honesty ahead of winning by admitting to judges that they misspelled a word or heard someone in the audience spell it. “There’s no glory in winning a contest if it’s not won fairly,”
36 • Did you know the Scripps National Spelling Bee has had participants from outside the 50 United States and Nigeria have earned spots in the competition. Learn more about the Bee’s history of spellers from other countries and territories.
Meet the Scripps National Spelling Bee class of 2025 in our special spellers’ guide.
THE BUZZ
THE SCHEDULE
This will tell you what is happening and when.
TAKE NOTE
Learn some interesting facts about our national competitors.
SURVEY SAYS … Spellers responded to our questions. Here is what they said.
COMMON GROUND
How many spellers crochet or are
SPELLEBRITIES
Learn about familiar faces who will be in the building during Bee Week, including 40 past champions.
YOUR BEESWAX
PUZZLE TIME
Have fun with these anniversary-themed crosswords.
HISTORY LESSON
Here are all the winners, winning words, executive directors, pronouncers and champions by state.
2024 WINNER
Take a look at Bruhat Soma’s post-championship adventures.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW
We catch up with Bee alumni, champion, a two-time runner-up, a game-show competitor and a winner who has a hometown library named for her.
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Scripps National Spelling Bee memories.
SCRIPPS’ CEO
Scripps took over the Bee in 1941. WELL-EARNED RECOGNITION
We celebrate our Regional Partner of of the Year and Regional Volunteer of the Year.
with the one and only Keke Palmer.
2025 Spripps National Spelling Bee guide to all 243 spellers
special bee week lies ahead
Dear Spellers and Families,
Welcome to the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee! This year represents a true milestone as wegettable moments.
beeloved
Bee a celebration to remember!
Corrie Loeffler Executive Director Scripps National Spelling Bee
On February 1, Giovanni Adjei (speller 55) became the first speller to qualify for the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee along with one other speller from The National Spelling Bee Ghana. A seventh grader from Christ the King International School, Adjei also achieved a special distinction within his home country.
“We are all excited for him,” says Eugenia TachieMenson, director of The National Spelling Bee Ghana.
“He has achieved his goal of becoming the first boy in Ghana to win the championship in two consecutive years.”
the buzz
Gender
spellers by the numbers
We’re usually all about the letters, but here’s a little math about the 243 spellers competing in the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
112 Female spellers
130 Male spellers
1 Preferred not to answer
Spelling in Their Blood
19 spellers have relatives who have participated in a combined 34 Scripps National Spelling Bees.
Spell-peaters
Coming into this year, 65 spellers have previously competed in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, including 53 last year.
2025 bee week schedule
S U N D A SUNDA Y, M A MA Y 2 5 25
speller registration
Hall of Champions –Maryland Foyer
2 to 5 p.m.
rule the word challenge
Maryland Ballroom
6:30 to 9 p.m.
*A special parent trivia event will take place in the Maryland Ballroom while the spellers take part in the challenge.
M O N D A MONDA Y, M A MA Y 2 6 26
memorial day picnic
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Bus transfer from the Gaylord National to Nationals Park and back
This is a ticketed event.
opening ceremony
Maryland Ballroom
6 to 6:30 p.m.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
champion showdown
Maryland Ballroom
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Past national champions will compete in individual and team-based challenges in this special competition event.
T U E S D A TUESDA Y, M A MA Y 2 7 27
preliminaries
(rounds one and two)
Maryland Ballroom
8 a.m. to 4:40 p.m.
Streamed live on Bounce XL and spellingbee.com
Each speller will compete in up to two of the preliminaries. See the Contest Rules of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee for detailed format information: spellingbee.com.
rounds one and two
by speller number:
Spellers 1 through 50
8 to 9:25 a.m.
Spellers 51 through 100
9:35 to 11 a.m.
Spellers 101 through 165
11:10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Spellers 166 through 212
2:10 to 3:30 p.m.
Spellers 213 through 243
3:40 to 4:40 p.m.
preliminaries
(round three test for spellers who advance from rounds one and two)
Maryland Ballroom
5:15 to 6 p.m.
W E D N E S D A WEDNESDA Y, M A MA Y 2 8 28
quarterfinals
Maryland Ballroom
8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Streamed live on Bounce XL and spellingbee.com
semifinals
Maryland Ballroom
2:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Onstage remarks begin at 2:15 p.m.
Streamed live on Bounce XL and spellingbee.com
will air from 8 to 10 p.m. on ION.
lexicography presentations
Peter Sokolowski, editor-at-large, Merriam-Webster
Ben Zimmer, lexicographer
Maryland Ballroom
7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
T H U R S D A THURSDA Y, M A MA Y 2 9 29
old town trolley tour
Trolley ride from the Gaylord National into Washington, D.C., and back
This is a ticketed event.
Check your ticket for times.
bee-con
Hall of Champions
3:30 to 5 p.m.
40 past national champions have returned to Bee Week, and spellers will get their autographs on a commemorative poster during this special event.
finals
Maryland Ballroom
7 to 10 p.m.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Finals Pre-show begins at 7 p.m.
Competition begins at 8 p.m.
Broadcast live on ION and spellingbee.com.
F R I D A FRIDA Y, M A MA Y 3 0 30
old town trolley tour
Trolley ride from the Gaylord National into Washington, D.C., and back
This is a ticketed event.
Check your ticket for times.
bee week bash
Maryland Ballroom
7 to 10 p.m.
This is a ticketed event.
help desk hours
Providing information and assistance to spellers and Bee Week attendees Hall of Champions –Maryland Foyer
Sunday, May 25
2 to 7 p.m.
Monday, May 26
8 to 11 a.m.
4 to 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 27
7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 28
7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Thursday, May 29
9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Friday, May 30
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Questions? Call (513) 814-8245.
media desk hours
Providing information and assistance to media members Hall of Champions –Maryland Foyer
Tuesday, May 27
7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 28
7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Thursday, May 29 5:30 to 10 p.m.
You can reach the Media Desk for assistance and requests at media@ spellingbee.com.
more than words hours
The Bee’s centennial museum exhibit
Sunday, May 25 2 to 5 p.m.
Monday, May 26 8 to 11 a.m. 4 to 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 27
10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 28
10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 29
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
take note
Here’s a look at some of the competitors in the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
THEFIELD
THEVETERANS
U.S.COVERAGE
RETURNINGFINALIST
Faizan Zaki
THE yOUNGEST
Zachary Teoh (speller 213), a second grader from Texas, is the youngest speller this year at age 8. Aadhya Adhikari (speller 173) from Ohio is the only 9 year old.
THEOLDEST
oldest are Andrew Ford (speller 60) from Idaho and Eli Neibart (speller 137) from New Jersey, both of whom turn 15 on Aug. 17. Amanuel Gemechis (speller 197) from South Dakota turns 15 a day later.
LONGDISTANCE
Alleena Villaluz (speller 57) from Saipan, a U.S. commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands roughly 133 miles (by air) from Guam, is traveling the farthest for this week’s competition (almost 7,800 miles). This is her second consecutive Bee. Other spellers are coming from Canada, the Bahamas, Germany, Ghana, Kuwait, Nigeria, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are 13 competitors from outside the 50 United States.
THETWINS
Faizan Zaki
Connor Norton (speller 193) from South Carolina has a twin sister, Cassady. Josephine Frimpong (speller 84) from Kentucky has a twin sister, Judith. Alejandro Martinez (speller 214) from Texas is a triplet with brother Abraham and sister Abigail.
FULL HOUSE
Josslyn Hansen (speller 121) from Minnesota has eight siblings: four brothers (Asher 16, Sam 15, Hunter 14, Calvin 6) and four sisters (Sophia 15, Ivy 12, Brynlee 11, Mia 3) in a blended family.
NOTABLE LEGACIES
Zwe Spacetime (speller 39) from Washington, D.C., is the younger
tion. Ved Raju (speller 35) from Colorado is the younger brother of Vikram Raju, the 2022 runner-up. William Fuller (speller 179) from Oklahoma is the younger brother of Edith Fuller, who in 2017 became the youngestever competitor in the Scripps National Spelling Bee at 6 years, 1 month old. William is 12, one of seven siblings,
About the Competitors
get to know the spellers
They answered our questions, so you get to learn what makes them unique!
Who is a famous person that you’d want to have dinner with?
“Dr. Jacques Bailly! I would like to discuss about words with him and learn how to become a better speller.” Zachary Teoh (speller 213), Houston, Texas
“Michelle Obama. She is a strong female role model. She created programs to improve school lunches, encourage healthy eating habits and promote exercise.” Beckett Griffin (speller 125), Lee’s Summit, Missouri
“Rick Riordan or one of my other favorite authors, like Suzanne Collins. I really look up to them, and it would be cool to be able
Kendall Mehl (speller 176), Bowling Green, Ohio
“Albert Einstein for sure. Having dinner with Einstein would be amazing because you could ask him all sorts of cool questions about space, time and the universe! He was one of the smartest people ever, and his ideas changed the way we think about everything. Imagine sitting with him and hearing stories about how he came up with his famous theories or just listening to his thoughts on how the world works.” Noah White (speller 211), Houston, Texas
Who is a famous person that you’d want to have dinner with?
“Egyptologist Peter Der Manuelian, famous for his work in the Giza Necropolis. He is the professor of Egyptology at Harvard University in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations.”
Sarvadnya Kadam (speller 30), Visalia, California
What is something or who is someone that makes you laugh?
“I love to do pranks, especially playful ones on my little sisters, because I enjoy making people laugh and adding a bit of mischief to everyday moments. My clever tricks are always lighthearted and fun, keeping everyone on their toes and bringing plenty of laughter to my family.” Ike Sperling (speller 16), Bayside, California
“My sister’s funny stories and impressions make me laugh every time she shares them.” Jane Ross (speller 187), Allison Park, Pennsylvania
“My friends always make me laugh because they are always cracking jokes.” Arnie Parat (speller 202), Amarillo, Texas
“Funny things my 3-year-old brother thinks of.” William Fuller (speller 179), Wagoner, Oklahoma
“I always laugh at how Tom and Jerry are
Giovanni Adjei (speller 55), Accra, Ghana
What is your favorite food?
“My favorite food from Taiwan is pineapple cake.” Aren Lee (speller 12), Cupertino, California
“I am a gourmand and love trying new and exotic foods from around the world.”
Blanche Li (speller 34), Superior, Colorado
“I have an insatiable hunger for jellybeans and spicy ramen.” Rowena CresswellBlickley (speller 188), Zion Grove, Pennsylvania
“Tteokguk” (a Korean soup). Gemma Kim (speller 114), Duluth, Minnesota
“Homemade pizza.” Gabriel Aguirre (speller 61), Spokane, Washington
Blanche Li
Gabriel Aguirre
What is your favorite school subject?
“Science. I also like reading. The longest book I have ever read was about 900 pages.” Sara Daoud (speller 54), Evans, Georgia
“Math. I am on the school math team and recently won a math competition.” Charlie Huang (speller 29), Oak Park, California
“I am excited and energized by learning new subjects, ranging from geography to physics.” Swetank Bangaru (speller 199), Piney Flats, Tennessee
“Science. The accomplishment I am most proud of is sending a science experiment to space as part of NASA’s STARward STEM Design Challenge.” Zachary Thurnher (speller 159), Fayetteville, North Carolina
“Band.” Isaac Geremew (speller 185), Mays Landing, New Jersey
Do you have any hidden talents?
“I have perfect pitch and can tell what key a song is in. I can also play a melody on the piano and then compose a second voice by singing it while I’m playing, creating a polyphonic arrangement.” Louis Avetis (speller 48), Orlando, Florida
“Storytelling. I’m able to digest forms of media rapidly and relay the information to other people in a reliable and engaging way, and I’m also able to recall lots of minor details.” Lauren Merillana (speller 96), North Potomac, Maryland
“I can recite pi to over 50 digits and can say the alphabet backwards.” Ainsley Gastmeier (speller 104), Clinton Township, Michigan
“I can list the title of every ‘Doctor Who’ episode in order.” Beatriz WhitfordRodríguez (speller 63), Chicago, Illinois
“I use my imagination to create many objects, such as pizza slices, bags, fruits, vegetables and animals.” Ruby Wang (speller 131), Missoula, Montana
“I can type 95 words per minute.” Navtaj Singh (speller 62), Pullman, Washington
What is your favorite book?
am a big fan of the Keeper of the Lost Cities, Lord of the Rings and The Inheritance Games series.”
Sydney Tran (speller 18), Orange, California
“I avidly enjoy reading fantasy and Greek mythology books like the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan.” Enzo Paylaga (speller 11), Bakersfield, California
“‘The Mark of Athena’ by Rick Riordan.” Siara Husain (speller 37), Wilmington, Delaware
Who is your favorite athlete?
“My favorite current player is Joe Burrow, and my favorite former player is A.J. Green.” Kaden Haddox (speller 175), Steubenville, Ohio
“My favorite NBA player is Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.” Jacob Martonito (speller 242), Appleton, Wisconsin
What is your favorite book?
“I love mysteries and frequently reread the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories.”
Aurora Spisak
(speller 169), Dayton, Ohio
“The dictionary. I like reading and collecting dictionaries and authored my own science and math dictionaries for fun.” Samuel Riley (speller 83), Andover, Kansas
“Lionel Messi.” Malek Youssri (speller 87), Kuwait City, Kuwait
Kunal Patel (speller 128), Branson, Missouri
Annika Huang (speller 178), Norman, Oklahoma
What place would you most like to visit?
“I would like to travel the world on a cruise ship.” Kolin Schuler (speller 196), Warrenville, South Carolina
“I would like to visit Germany because of its historical and cultural richness.” Amanuel Gemechis (speller 197), Brookings, South Dakota
“Australia, because I want to go to the southern hemisphere.” Yahya Mohammed (speller 70), Hoffman Estates, Illinois
“Japan, because of the high-tech things there like robot chefs and robot waiters.” Kavin Suriya Prakash (speller 68), Edwards, Illinois
Ruby Wang
Isaac Geremew
About the Competitors
“My dad’s ancestors originated from Switzerland, which is what sparked my interest in learning more about it. My family loves hiking in the mountains, and Switzerland has some of the most beautiful scenery. I would love to go there some day!” Mason Coulthard (speller 69), Lena, Illinois
“I would most like to visit the Amazon plants and animals which inhabit the Amazon.” Ved Raju (speller 35), Aurora, Colorado
Who is your favorite musician
or band?
“I have been a loving BTS fan since I was 10 years old and hope to meet them one day.” Katie Park (speller 65), Niles, Illinois
“I am excited to see one of my favorite bands, My Chemical Romance, at Soldier Field in Chicago this August.” Brighid Reid (speller 67), Sandwich, Illinois
What career do you want to pursue?
“I am interested in BEE-coming an author, lawyer, physicist or chemist.”
Elden
Wier
(speller 3), Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska
in engineering. But I’m also only 11
Right now, I’m just enjoying learning, discovering new things, and I’ll see where it takes me.” Diego Gallegos (speller 49), Winter Park, Florida
“Weird Al Yankovic. I am going to a concert later this year.” Zach Yeager (speller 163), Doylestown, Ohio
“Daniel Caesar.” Isaac Cancio (speller 205), Corpus Christi, Texas
“Most likely a career in AI and computers.” Aiden Westover (speller 47), Orlando, Florida
“I want to be a sports lawyer when I am older because I am interested in the legal and ethical issues in college and professional sports, plus I would get good tickets to sports games!” Minna Danziger (speller 111), Suttons Bay, Michigan
“Because I like to build things and see how they work, I’ve been told I might be interested
in pediatrics and/or business ownership because helping younger children is something I greatly enjoy which has inspired me to either become a pediatrician or a pediatric dentist someday. In addition to this, I hope to become a CEO who inspires people to be their best selves and leave a lasting impact on their communities.” Josephine Frimpong (speller 84), Lexington, Kentucky
“I want to be an author when I grow up. I wrote the story ‘Drops of Happiness’ for a contest, The Five Senses Story Narrative. I’m currently working on a fantasy and thriller book, ‘Race of Predators: The Blood Hunt.’ ” Vlada Kozhevnikova (speller 51), Clearwater, Florida
What is your favorite movie?
“ ‘Akeelah and the Bee.’ ” Anjali Agarwal (speller 189), Danville, Pennsylvania
“I have watched ‘Mean Girls’ eight times.” Izzy Canada (speller 146), New York, New York
“ ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.’ ” Sasha Kenlon (speller 224), Park City, Utah
“I have to sit in my chair a certain way, and I either have to wear what I wore at my last bee, or I have to wear something Sharanya Kar (speller 78), West Lafayette, Indiana
“I have worn the same sweatshirt in every spelling bee since I was in fourth grade.” George Weghorst (speller 86), Newport, Kentucky
“I believe in good luck superstitions, like four-leaf clovers and 11:11.” Siyona Kandala (speller 220), San Antonio, Texas
“I only wear one batting glove when up to bat.” Brett Kuprowicz (speller 174), Dillonvale, Ohio
“This might seem like a one-time thing, but every spelling bee I have ever lost, I got fourth place. Just out of the podium, this is my least favorite number, and the one and seventh grade.” Yuva Peddireddy (speller 123), Madison, Mississippi
PHOTOGRAPHS
George Weghorst
Sasha Kenlon
Is there a story behind your name?
“I have an older brother. He has been my best friend ever since I was born. My parents named me ‘Sagan’ because they wanted me to be a ‘companion’ to my brother. Sagan means ‘best companion’ or ‘friend’ in my native language, Tamil. My brother was also very interested in astronomy at the time and named me after Carl Sagan.” Sagan Karthikeyan (speller 122), Oxford, Mississippi
“My dad always wanted to name his child Quint, after the character in the movie ‘Jaws.’ ” Quint Karlsson (speller 94), Gambrills, Maryland
“I have four formal names — Amelia Sisira Karishma Pilar, however my preferred name, Bindi, was given by my elder brother, Diganto, when I was a newborn. If royalty can have many names, so can I!” Bindi Ray (speller 95), Towson, Maryland
“Avinav means ‘unique.’ Since I was born on 1/1/11 at 11 a.m. as a complete surprise for my parents they named me Avinav to represent uniqueness.” Avinav Prem Anand (speller 167), Columbus, Ohio
Who is your role model?
“Taylor Swift because of her work ethic and personality.” Priya Konduru (speller 133), Reno, Nevada
“My mom is my role model because once she puts her mind to something, she never gives up no matter how hard it is to accomplish. She is a very kind soul and is caring towards others. She is always hardworking and maintains honesty. She gives valuable advice when in need. All of these factors motivate and inspire me to be just like her.” Rian Camty (speller 132), Elkhorn, Nebraska
“My brother because of his determination and work ethic.” Shreeya Sivakumar (speller 217), Odessa, Texas
What is your favorite sport?
“I have a passion for running. It keeps me motivated and pushes me to improve. I’m
whether it’s a new personal best or a longterm challenge.” Nathan Settevendemie (speller 36), Somers, Connecticut
“Badminton and hiking.” Jayden Jiang (speller 186), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
“Volleyball.” Khusi Dahal (speller 130), Saint Charles, Missouri
“I play travel volleyball for Richmond Volleyball Club and my favorite position is outside hitter.” Harper Cox (speller 237), Midlothian, Virginia
“Soccer. I want to be a professional soccer player. This has been my fantasy since childhood, and when I play soccer, I feel happier. A career based on soccer would be a dream come true.” Arshan Shahriar (speller 32), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Who is your favorite historical figure?
“Thomas Edison.” Jason Chukwuma-Eze (speller 171), Lima, Ohio
Is there a story behind your name?
“I was named after my grandfather. Nicasio is a name of Spanish origin meaning ‘victory.’ ”
Nicasio David (speller 42), Fort Myers, Florida
“Marcus Tullius Cicero.” Connor Norton (speller 193), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
“Jesus.” Leo Furlong (speller 80), Muncie, Indiana
“Pablo Picasso.” Sharon Hwang (speller 142), Painted Post, New York
“Henry Clay.” Scott Tingle (speller 127), Senath, Missouri
Do you play any musical instruments?
“Trumpet and piano.” Chilaka Ugobi (speller 162), Minot, North Dakota
“In addition to producing and listening to music, I am learning to play the bass. I plan to study music theory in college.” Blaze Blacketer (speller 165), North Canton, Ohio
piano.” Cecily Dean (speller 52), Tallahassee, Florida
“Guitar and keyboard.”
Josh Verma (speller 198), Germantown, Tennessee
Cecily Dean
Chilaka Ugobi
COMMON GROUND
When spellers filled out their surveys and shared their interests, it was impossible to not see some patterns. We thought it would be fun to put some groups together on paper. If you all find each other during Bee Week, all the better. There are definitely some mutual interests.
Aarav Sargurunathan (speller 222), College Station, Texas
Sasha Kenlon (speller 224), Park City, Utah
“I’m a Girl Scout and love camping with my troop in places like Goblin Valley and Joshua Tree National Park.” –Sasha Kenlon
spellebrity sightings
Keep your eyes peeled throughout Bee Week, and you are likely to see some familiar faces around the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. at the end of the Spellers' Guide, including
This year, there is a special list of the Bee’s 100th anniversary, we have invited every past champion to attend Bee Week, and we’re pleased that so many of them will make their return to Bee Week this year.
Look out for these Scripps National Spelling Bee winners who will have spe-
CHAMPS AT BEE WEEK
Henry Feldman (1960)
John Capehart (1961)
Nettie Crawford (1962)
William Kerek (1964)
Jennifer Reinke (1967)
Jonathan Knisely (1971)
Barrie Trinkle (1973)
John Paola (1977)
Peg McCarthy (1978)
Jacques Bailly (1980)
Molly Dieveney (1982)
Blake Giddens (1983)
Daniel Greenblatt (1984)
Balu Natarajan (1985)
Jon Pennington (1986)
Scott Isaacs (1989)
Joanne Lagatta (1991)
Ned Andrews (1994)
George Thampy (2000)
Sai Gunturi (2003)
David Tidmarsh (2004)
YOU’RE A STAR (Above) John Capehart, 1961 champion. (Opposite page, top row, left to right) Kerry Close, 2006; Dev Shah, 2023; Ned Andrews, 1994. (Bottom row) Saketh Sundar, 2019; Snigdha Nandipati, 2012; Zaila Avant-garde, 2021.
Anurag Kashyap (2005)
CHAMPS AT BEE WEEK
Katharine “Kerry” Close (2006)
Sameer Mishra (2008)
Kavya Shivashankar (2009)
Anamika Veeramani (2010)
Sukanya Roy (2011)
Snigdha Nandipati (2012)
Vanya Shivashankar (2015)
Karthik Nemmani (2018)
Shruthika Padhy (2019)
Rishik Gandhasri (2019)
Christopher Serrao (2019)
Saketh Sundar (2019)
Rohan Raja (2019)
Sohum Sukhatankar (2019)
Zaila Avant-garde (2021)
Harini Logan (2022)
Dev Shah (2023)
Bruhat Soma (2024)
In the Beginning
BY MICHAEL PERRY
In the Sunday, March 8, 1925, edition of the Louisville CourierJournal, there was an announcement right at the top of the front page, square in the middle:
“National Spelling Bee to Be Held at Capital,” the headline said.
Under it was the copy of a letter from the U.S. Department of the Interior acknowledging that the newspaper would spon-
months later.
“Unquestionably such a contest will arouse interest and awaken a new enthusiasm for careful and accurate spelling,” wrote U.S. Bureau of Education Commissioner John J. Tigert. “It is often remarked that even college students frequently spell poorly. A national contest should stimulate such a general
er-Journal at the time, intended to promote literacy and education and also wanted his newspaper to serve as a valued part of the community in addition to being a source of news.
Douglas Cornette, a former vice president and business manager of the Louisville Courier-Journal, once wrote that the newspaper “patterned a spelling bee for the State of Kentucky after one held several years before by The Detroit News.” A Kentucky bee was held in 1924. The Courier-Journal thought the concept could be expanded for a national event.
The Courier-Journal invited several newspapers throughout the country to hold their own bees and send their champions to the United States,” the March 8 newspaper article said.
The original nine participants ( pictured above ) and sponsoring newspapers were:
Mary Coddens ( South Bend News-Times , Indiana)
Mary Daniel ( Hartford Courant , Connecticut)
Helen Fisher (Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio)
Dorothy Karrick ( Detroit News , Michigan)
Patrick Kelly ( New Haven Register , Connecticut)
Lorin Mackey ( Oklahoma News )
Frank Neuhauser (Louisville Courier-Journal, Kentucky)
ington, D.C., where they met President Calvin Coolidge and competed at the new National Museum auditorium for less than two hours.
the word gladiolus, collecting the prize of $500 in gold pieces.
line in the June 18, 1925, Courier-Journal. He had already won the city and state competitions.
the day after his victory. “But I know harder words than any given out. I think they would have to trot out the dictionary to stump me.”
Neuhauser was greeted at the train station in Louisville upon his return. His cousins handed him “two armloads of flame-colored gladiolas ”—symbolic of his winning word, according to the newspaper report. A parade followed. That night, he was the guest of honor at a dinner at The Brown Hotel.
naming it the Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee. In 2004, the organization became the Scripps National Spelling Bee, a title it has maintained since.
It’s All Relative
For these families, the Bee is in their blood. BY AMY BLAKELY
As we set out to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, we spent a lot of time reviewing the history of the event, its most meaningful moments and milestones and, of course, the people who made it memorable.
It got us thinking about the families who have been most engaged in the Bee. We looked at the number of participants per family, their years of participation and any involvement after their own time as spellers concluded.
sands of Bee families to consider, your own list may have candidates we haven’t included here. But it sure is fun to shine a spotlight on these relevant relatives.
A Family Affair: Brooks/Wagner Family
Head Judge Mary Brooks’ family has been active in the Bee for 65 of the program’s 100 years.
history with the Scripps National Spelling Bee, she might more aptly be dubbed “Queen Bee.”
For Brooks, the National Spelling Bee has always been a Her family’s involvement began 65 years ago, in 1960, when Brooks’ uncle, James H. Wagner, a former newspaper reporter in Texas, became the executive director of the National Spelling Bee, a position he would hold for 24 years.
In the early years of the Bee, Wagner recruited friends and Wagner’s family members have volunteered or been part of the other family members to have volunteered or served on the
great-nieces, Maren Gardner, Megan Rask and Laura Houillion.
While most Wagner family members helped for a season or two, Brooks caught the Bee bug and kept coming back through-
From college crew to head judge -
ter, Jane, reveled in helping with the competition, so when Wag-
“It was 1971 when he came to my high school graduation,” she remembers. “He knew I wanted to be a middle school teachand sightseeing trips, and assisted at the competition.
word in Webster’s Third New Internasive tome that has served as the Bee bible. dictionary.
Brooks later became a full-fledged retired, she served as a co-director of the
rings the dreaded bell when a speller errs and then consoles the exiting contestant with some uplifting words, Brooks said
BUSY BEES Mary Brooks and her daughter Carly working at the Bee (above); Mary with President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in 1987. Opposite page, Mary Brooks with her uncle James H. Wagner.
being the head judge is a lot more than that.
“Listening,” she says. “That is the number one requirement for being the head judge.”
While the other judges wear earphones to listen to the contestants, Brooks prefers to hear their letter-by-letter spelling unfiltered, without headphones. She also watches spellers’ mouths as they pronounce each letter.
“You have to be 100 percent focused on each speller. Undivided attention. You have to tune out all distractions,” she says.
When a speller errs, Brooks rings the Civil War-era bell she inherited from her mother-in-law.
Akeelah and the Bee to
ensure it accurately portrayed the Scripps National Spelling Bee. is about a girl who studies her way to the national championship.
stage after missing his word.
“I told the director, ‘No speller would ever do that. I can’t think of a single time a speller has sworn after missing a word.’ ”
That scene was cut from the movie.
Observations of the ‘Queen Bee’
With more than a half-century of experience with the National Spelling Bee, Brooks has seen the competition grow exponentially, move locations, change its competition format and endure a pandemic.
She’s seen spellers become more practiced and the word list revolutionize the contest.
“But the kids are the same,” she says. “They have not changed in their intensity and pure joy.”
Because of the many ways they practice and prepare, many of today’s contestants get to know one another prior to arriv-
“Contestants are more connected to each other, cheering for each other because they know each other. Being happy for each other, truly in awe of each other.”
Bees, bees, everywhere bees
Even when she’s not at the National Spelling Bee, Brooks’ life
They’re on her clothes, shoes and jewelry. They’re on her dishes, glassware and tablecloths. She keeps “SugarBee” brand apples in her refrigerator. She even has a tabletop Christmas tree decorated with bee ornaments for spelling bee season.
“I’m known as the Bee. It’s my identity,” she says. “My friends and my family can’t pass up a bee-related piece of merchandise. All bee things come my way. Anything that has a bee on it, I probably have.”
Brooks lives in a golf-course community in West Des Moines. She walks each morning, plays golf most days when the weather allows and serves as a trustee on her local library board. She loves reading
fourth grade at Maple Grove Elementary in Waukee, Iowa, and Brooks regularly volunteers in her classroom.
Stahn, who keeps her classroom decorated in a bee motif, worked alongside her mom and other relatives at the Bee from 1998 to 2004, during her college years and for a year after she began teaching. As part of the college crew, she escorted contes-
She helped with parties and sightseeing
tours. And, in later years, she’d gather facts about the spellers to feed to ESPN commentators.
Working at the Bee helped Stahn understand her family’s fervor for the event.
tional Spelling Bee—from attending fall and spring meetings they are.
The Champion Sisters: Shivashankar Family
ALL IN THE FAMILY Clockwise from above: Sriram and Jairam Hathwar were both co-champions; Kavya Shivashankar with her father Mirle and mother Sandy immediately following her win; Carly Stahn in her beethemed classroom.
Spelling Bee.
shared the stage, competing as sisters created a special bond
The Winning Brothers: Hathwar Family
date only
Interestingly, Jairam’s victory marked the second year in one year later.phy motivated me to take spelling seriously and study more Jairam returned to Bee Week as a member of the college computational biology. Sriram also studied at Princeton, grad-
tational biology. He is the co-founder of a stealth startup. The to compete.
More spelling bee families to celebrate
(listed alphabetically)
TYLER HYDE, MICHAEL PERRY AND AMY SIMKOVITZ CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ARTICLE.
Blacklock
Evelyn Blacklock, from New York, competed in 2002 before becoming runner-up in 2003. She was 1 of 5 home-schooled siblings from the family to advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, including sister Charlotte (2004), brother James (2006), sister Rosalie (2008) and brother Gabriel (2010–2011).
Bridwell
Keiko Bridwell, from South Carolina, advanced to the Scripps National Spelling Bee four times (2006–2009). Brother Zane participated in the national competition in 2011, and sister Kalika went three times (2013–2015). That’s eight total years.
Buddiga
Pratyush Buddiga , from Colorado, became the seventh Denver-area champ when he won in 2002. Two years later, his brother, Akshay
Capehart
John Capehart pion from Oklahoma. His brother Mark th in 1958 as an 11-year-old sixth grader. Sister Carolyn advanced to the national competition as an 11-year-old sixth grader in
The Goldsteins
Dasari
Shourav Dasari , from Houston, competed in 2016 and
Dream” documentary. His sister, Shobha, competed in 2013, th. After their spelling days ended, the two founded SpellPundit, a product for students preparing for spelling bees.
Estep
Samuel Estep , from Virginia, earned a spot in three Scripps
where he earned 13th place in 2011. He joined four other siblings who also advanced to the national competition: Sister Marissa (2004, 2006), and brothers George (2014), Edwin (2015–2016) and Nathan (2018). That’s nine total appearances for the home-schooled spellers.
Goldstein
Amy (Goldstein) Simkovitz for fourth in the 1998 Scripps National Spelling Bee. She later served as a copy editor for ESPN Digital and worked on the production of the Bee for seven years. This past year, she has worked with the Bee team as a researcher and writer, delving into details of the 100-year history of the event. She even contributed to this Bee Keeper magazine issue (see page 26). Sister Joy (JJ) er. She advanced again in 2002 and 2003, tying for third both years. Brother, Ari , beat JJ in the 2001 Long Island regional competition to advance to the Bee, where he tied for 16th. All three were coached by their mother, Mona.
Grimaldo
Anna Beatrice Grimaldo , from Idaho, advanced to the older sister Frances Mari competed in 2011, and younger sister LouiseJulia 2018 and 2019.
Guey
Wendy Guey , from Florida, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 1996 in her fourth appearance. She previously had ter Emily th Lynne
Gunturi
Sai Gunturi, from Dallas, won the Scripps National Spelling previous year. Sister, Nivedita, tied for eighth in 1997. Brother, Abhiram,
Kerwin
Katie Kerwin, from Colorado, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 1979 and would later serve as a reporter/analyst for
Greg Mary Loeffler
, a former speller from California, is executive director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee and has worked for
brother Paul
Linda Bohnen, their mother, organized and raised funds to keep the regional bee program
Mishra
Sameer Mishra th th his sister Shruti
Natarajan/Balakrishnan
Balu Natarajan
advanced to the Scripps National Spelling Bee: Atman Balakrishnan Advaith Balakrishnan in Randhawa
Aisha Randhawa , from California, competed four times in th. Sister Lara and brother Avijeet th family to represent in eight consecutive national competitions.
Sargeant
Tracy Sargeant represented the Stars & Stripes of Europe when the family lived in the Netherlands in 1992 Kristin
to Nebraska. Younger brother John participated in the Bee in
Scheidler
Mary Scheidler represented the Anthony followed in her
Thampy
George Thampy
Murali
Navneeth Murali , from New Jersey, competed in the Scripps National Spelling th in Harini
will compete again this year. Navneeth would have been among the favorites Spelling Bee.
Mallika spelled the next two years, th
The Loefflers
Five of the most compelling finishes in Bee history
BY AMY SIMKOVITZ
EPIC SHOW
EIGHT IS ENOUGH Octochamp
Rishik Gandhasri raises his arms in triumph after spelling auslaut
There is drama at every Scripps National Spelling Bee: Young students from all over competing for the Scripps Cup after a year—or in some cases several years—of
Speller No. 1, Jean Chappelear, bookended the 1948 Bee: She started the competition by spelling its first , and stayed onstage for five hours until . She spelled 88 words total, most of them in a 56-round duel with the
The judges exhausted their list of 490 words and needed
Chappelear and Flavelle both misspelled words. . Chappelear spelled it correctly but then missed her anticipated championship word, pharisaical . Flavelle was then given that and oligarchy Chappelear provided the correct spelling, then became . In one of the most iconic Bee photographs of ).
Chappelear held a lucky penny in her hand throughkissed the penny and told her it would bring her good A magician then gave Chappelear a tiny pet rabbit and he traveled with her to New York on the media tour.
D OWNS
1991
Mathew-Lagatta
Antipyretic , or anything that lowers fever, was the word that won the 1991 Scripps National Spelling Bee, and perhaps everyone in the Capital Hilton ballroom needed an antipyretic after a 90-minute intense showdown between Maria Mathew of Illinois and Joanne Lagatta of Wisconsin. Their 17-round duel lasted 36 words.
What made the 1991 Bee particularly dramatic was that nei-
Instead, they engaged in a rare sequence of misspelled words, creating a back-and-forth battle. Mathew misspelled 16 words; Lagatta misspelled 15. Lagatta said she knew only three words antipyretic in health class.
Early in their duel, Lagatta had a chance to win. She had spelled paillard correctly, Mathew misspelled vargueno , and she corrected Mathew’s misspelling. But she missed her would-be championship word, epideictic . Mathew had a similar opportunity later on: Lagatta misspelled brecciation , and Mathew correctly spelled tirralirra before having the opportunity to correct Lagatta’s misspelling. Mathew, too, misspelled brecciation . In Round 25, Lagatta correctly spelled anxiolytic before Mathew missed inappetence . Lagatta spelled it correctly, then followed it up with antipyretic only) Bee champion from Wisconsin. Following this national competition, the end-of-bee rules were changed to no longer require a potential champion to correct the other speller’s misspelling.
2016
Hathwar-Janga
rules ahead of the 2016 competition. Instead of the top three competitors exhausting a championship word list of 25 words, they would have to last 25 rounds to be declared co-champions.
Hathwar, a 13-year-old seventh grader from New York, and Nihar
audience with their brilliance and resilience as the competition built round by round into an hour-long battle of wits. Giallolino. Fothergilla. Gyttja. Taoiseach. Uintjie. Whau. Whau, indeed. Both boys applauded and encouraged each other throughout the showdown.
Janga recognized some of his words right away. In Round 20, he was asked to spell appetitost and wowed the crowd by asking pronouncer Dr. Jacques Bailly whether it was a cheese. Two rounds later, upon receiving biniou, he immediately asked whether it meant a Breton bagpipe. He spelled the word correctly.
About 20 minutes into their duel, Jairam stumbled on drahthaar as Janga correctly spelled rafraichissoir and received his potential championship word, ayacahuite . But Janga misspelled it, resetting the competition.
Ten rounds and 20 minutes later, Hathwar misspelled again on Mischsprache. Janga misspelled his next word, tetradrachm It was nearly 11 p.m.
The Bee exhausted its championship word list shortly after
that, and the judges crowned Janga and Hathwar co-champions in Round 39. Hathwar secured his half of the title with Feldenkrais , a term for a therapeutic movement method, while Janga clinched his victory with gesellschaft
which had 31 rounds.
Hathwar was the second champion in as many years to be named the second Scripps National Spelling Bee champion in the family, following his brother, Sriram, who was a 2014 co-
pion on record at 11 years, 191 days old.
2017
Vinay-Rajeev
fornia, approached each word with steady focus and precision. Rajeev, a 14-year-old from Edmond, Oklahoma, wore his emotions on his sleeve, with every correct spelling met with a smile.
nearly 20 intense rounds, spelling words most people had never way grew progressively more obscure: gesith, cheiropompholyx,
Tchefuncte and durchkomponiert were just a few of the tongue-twisters they navigated with ease.
The suspense reached its peak when Rajeev was given marram, a type of coarse grass found in sandy areas. He misspelled it as marem
With the crowd holding its collective breath, Vinay stepped up to spell gifblaar , and then her championship word: marocain , a type of dress fabric. Her calm demeanor never wavered
2019 Octochamps
There were plenty of hints we’d be in for an extraordinary night.
for a contingency plan in case there would be more than three
it for the third time—records all around.
dents spelled their word correctly, another record. In the first two hours of competition, there were only five errors. The words kept getting tougher ( auftaktigkeit, jindyworobak and huanglongbing were fun to pronounce but increasingly difficult to spell), but the spellers pulled them out time and time again, giving their fellow competitors high-fives as they returned to their seats.
tettigoniid , leaving eight spellers on stage. At the time of her
The remaining eight students spelled a finals-record 47
announced that they were in “uncharted territory.” He told the competitors that if they could all continue spelling correctly for three more rounds, they would be declared co-champions.
Rishik Gandhasri calmly spelled auslaut and raised his arms in triumph. Erin Howard said “It’s great to be here” as she approached the mic, and as soon as she heard the word erysipelas, bougainvillea ,
said “hi” nervously as she approached the mic, but once she heard aiguillette
pendeloque
palama nervously, celebrated with his co-champions, then collapsed in his seat with his hand over his chest, breathing heavily with a look of thrilled
cernuous correctly. Finally, Rohan Raja stepped up with the weight of perfection on his shoulders, then completed the incredible performance with odylic . After the confetti fell, it was announced that all eight elite spellers
display of linguistic mastery and perseverance.
FACTS FUN
It was reported that 1934 winner Sarah Wilson spelled 111 words correctly en route to her championship.
2018 and 2019 are the only years when the Bee eclipsed 1,000 words (1,185 and 1,399, respectively). Both of those years had more than 500 spellers in the competition.
During the 1984 head-to-head between champion Daniel Greenblatt and runnerup Amy McWhirter, each speller misspelled five words. One of those words was abseil, which became the winning word 40 years later.
The 1957 and 1962 Bees ended in ties. Both winning words, schappe (1957) and esquamulose (1962), were misspelled by both co-champions.
In 1951, the top three students correctly spelled 18 consecutive words in six rounds.
A runner-up tie is rare in Bee history, but it happened in back-to-back years: Aishwarya Pastapur and Tim Ruiter tied for second in 2009, and Adrian Gunawan, Shantanu Srivatsa and Elizabeth Platz tied for second in 2010. —
The 1940, 1941 and 1942 Bees all featured more than 40 rounds of head-to-head battles between the top two spellers.
Whe n They Wer e 6 . ..
The youngest spellers ever recall their time competing in the Bee
BY AMY BLAKELY
Scripps National Spelling Bee alumni Lori Anne “Fox” Madison, Akash Vukoti and Edith Fuller all made history: Each made their Bee debut at 6 years old, making them the youngest spellers in Scripps National Spelling Bee history. Here’s a look at how these three uber-young spellers recall their noteworthy appearances, as well as what they’ve been up to since.
2012
Lori
Anne
“Fox” Madison
(6 years, 6 months) years, 6
she had a tough time relating to her fellow contestants, so she skipped some Bee Week social activities in favor of spending
2016 Akash Vukoti
(turned 7 during the Bee) 7 during the
Not only was Vukoti the youngest contestant to compete in the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee, he’s also the youngest boy to have ever competed, and he holds the record for competing the most times—six.
Being part of the Scripps National Spelling Bee was “a truly incredible experience,” says Vukoti, who just completed his sophomore year in high school and will turn 16 during Bee Week this year.
After competing as a 6-year-old, Vukoti was featured on CNN, Vox, CBS and ABC. The same year, he was recruited to be a “special correspondent” for “Good Morning America” and spent part of his second Bee Week interviewing his fellow competitors. He would go on to appear on numerous TV shows, including “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”
He competed on the 2018 season of “Dancing with the Stars: Juniors” with other notable youngsters, including Olympic Skateboarder Sky Brown; actor Miles Brown, who played Jack Johnson on the TV show “Black-ish;” and actress Ariana Greenblatt, who’s appeared in several movies, including the 2023 hit “Barbie.”
Now that Akash has aged out of eligibility for the Scripps National Spelling Bee, he’s using his love of language to embark on a “career” of public speaking. He’s delivered a high school commencement address, a keynote address at an educators’ conference and did a summer 2024 tour through India where he gave 16 speeches in 25 days.
Vukoti has a YouTube channel with more than a million subscribers and a Facebook page promoting his public speaking availability.
Vukoti also won praise—and a standing ovation—for his gra-
Vukoti’s parents—Krishna M. Vukoti, a pharmacist, and Chandrakala Jandyam, an electrical engineer—immigrated to the United States from Andhra Pradesh, India. Vukoti and his sister, Amrita, were born while the family lived in Washington, D.C. The family moved to San Angelo, Texas, in 2015.
Jandyam says her son began talking when he was only 8 or 9 months old. She and her husband recognized their son’s fascination with letters and spelling because he loved to play with magnetic letters. “I loved those,” Vukoti says. “I still love those.”
competing in bees sponsored by NorthSouth Foundation, a nationwide organization that has nurtured many Indian-American Scripps National Spelling Bee competitors and champions for more than three decades.
Because of his involvement with NorthSouth, Vukoti already National Spelling Bee. He said he felt no awkwardness being the youngest competitor.
“In the spelling community, we’re all generally very supportive,” he says.
Jandyam homeschooled her son until he reached high school. She began his spelling training with multiple-choice spelling tests and remained his primary spelling coach over the years.
Vukoti and his sister competed together in the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee, and both were eliminated around the
Vukoti says his Scripps National Spelling Bee experience helped him achieve superb command of the English language and introduced him to terminology in taught him to “overcome challenges by thinking of them with a positive outlook. That’s going to lead you to things you didn’t even know you could do.”
Although Vukoti and his parents were anxious about him transitioning from homeschooling to the classroom, it “went super well,” he says.
“I’m living my best life and making friends. It’s awesome.”
He’s active on his school’s debate team, and he’s already thinking about the future.
“I am planning on pursuing government in college,” he says. “My dream is to become the president of the United States.”
2017 Edith Fuller
(6 years, 1 month) years, 1
“When I was little, I had four desires,” says Fuller, now 13, but the youngest competitor in Scripps National Spelling Bee hisspeak into a microphone.”
While, technically, she accomplished all of these goals before going to National Harbor, Maryland, the Scripps National Spelling Bee allowed her to repeat two of these special experiences:
Fuller is the daughter of Justin and Annie Fuller of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Dad is a software engineer, and mom homeschools Edith and her six siblings: William, 12; Archie, 9; Timothy, 8; Vera, 6; Constance 4; and Samuel, 2.
The family is “unplugged.” They don’t have a television but do occasionally watch movies together on the computer. The
the kids use laptops for their schoolwork, recreational computer time is limited to an hour a day and internet access is restricted.
Her parents say Fuller was reading by age 2. One night at dinner, they decided to introduce the concept of spelling. After she tackled some simple words like cat and car, they teasingly asked her to spell restaurant . She aced it.
“That’s when we realized, ‘OK, maybe she’s more advanced than we thought,’ ” Justin Fuller says.
spelling bee. She advanced to the regional bee, and she won that, too. That secured her seat in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Fuller says the experience in National Harbor was a little overwhelming.
“When I was little, I had four desires, I wanted to fly in an airplane, ride a horse, swim in a pool, speak into a microphone.”
Although the other spellers ranged in age from 8 to 13, Fuller says they “seemed very old, impossibly old. I felt like they were almost like adults.”
Fuller correctly spelled nyctinasty and tapas onstage but was eliminated during a written test. She remembers feeling “very, very disappointed.” She left the stage sobbing and her parents, waiting backstage, scooped her up into a hug. Journalists captured the moment, and it went viral. Fuller cringes a little when she recalls the newspaper stories and TV clips that broadcasted that image.
“Edith really got to the point she didn’t like to think about that experience,” Annie says. “She didn’t want to be known as the spelling bee girl.”
But lately, that’s changed. Fuller found the book her grandmother had made about the Scripps National Spelling Bee experience and enjoyed looking at it with her siblings. “Edith kind of made peace with all of the publicity,” Annie says.
Looking back, Fuller says competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee taught her the value of being prepared—and the importance of behaving well in the spotlight.ademically, expanding her vocabulary and illustrating the importance of reading. It helped her learn about grammar, parts work when studying toward a goal.
“There were really no downsides except the pressure of publicity,” Annie says.
is the Best Policy HONESTy
BY AMY BLAKELY
These three contestants caught errors or issues that got past the judges.
In 1966, in the fourth round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, 11-year-old Rosalie (Elliott) Browning of Central, South Carolina, got the word avowal
“Honesty was one of the values with which I was raised."
“The judges said I had a lot of integrity,” Flosdorf told reporters afterward. Asked why he’d ’fessed up, Flosdorf explained, “I didn’t want to feel like a slime.’”
Unsure if she had spelled it correctly ( avowal) or incorrectly (avowel), the judges played and replayed the tape. They simply couldn’t tell.
But once Browning learned the correct spelling, she knew she had erred. And she told the judges, taking herself out of the competition.
Flosdorf got a lot of attention for his integrity, but he told reporters he knew he had to be truthful.
Flosdorf achieved Eagle Scout status in 1985 and has served as an assistant scoutmaster as an adult.
Flosdorf now lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Tonia Nelson.
Browning is one of a handful of National Spelling Bee contestants who caught errors or issues that had gotten by the Bee judges. Although these spellers didn’t win the Bee, they won the admiration of the American public for showing that honesty truly is the best policy.
Quiet in the audience
In 1928, in the fourth annual National Spelling Bee, the compe-
South Bend, Indiana. The two girls went head-to-head for several rounds.
Finally, Robinson tripped on the word casualties . Gray was preparing to spell it—for the win—when she overheard an audience member whisper the correct spelling.
Rather than take victory, Gray told the judges what she’d heard.
The judges reinstated Robinson and started the round again. Gray subsequently missed the word knack. Then Robinson— the speller reinstated after being eliminated—correctly spelled the word, claiming victory by spelling the next word, albumen
‘I didn’t want to feel like a slime’
the word echolalia . Judges were unsure about his spelling, but after listening to a replay, they ruled it to be correct.
“When I got back to my seat, the spellers around me asked me how I’d spelled it and when I told them, they said, ‘Oh, you got lucky.’ That was a pretty good indicator that I’d been wrong,” he said recently.
During a break at the end of the round, Flosdorf and his parents went up to their hotel room and looked up the word,
“We had a collective discussion about what to do. But it was pretty obvious to all of us that the right thing to do was to let people know,” he says.
Flosdorf informed the judges they had misunderstood him and that he had spelled the word incorrectly, substituting an e a .
No regrets
Browning says she didn’t think twice about telling Bee judges that she had misspelled avowal
“Honesty was one of the values with which I was raised,” she says.
Browning left the stage to a standing ovation, and she became a momentary media star for her honesty in the situation.
“It went viral before that was even a thing,” says Browning, now a retired physician who still lives in South Carolina. “The story took on a life of its own. I was OK with that.”
To this day, the internet is loaded with reports of her story; it’s been used as a modern-day parable in church sermons and inspirational literature.
Aside from the attention she got for owning up to her spelling mistake, Browning says one of her best spelling bee memories came at the state level, where she repeatedly competed against former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, who had
Browning said she was nervous competing in the Bee. While a lot of the contestants were, like her, good students who just happened to be good spellers, there were some who had devoted themselves to practicing to win.
“I would have had no chance against them,” she says.
Browning and her husband, retired software engineer Jim Browning, have been married 40 years. They live in the Lake Murray area near Columbia, South Carolina, with their beagle, Toblerone. She enjoys running and hiking. She also works with her husband at the food pantry he directs at their church, Virginia Wingard Memorial United Methodist.
Although their decisions took them out of the competition, Flosdorf and Browning are proud they did the right thing, and they look back on their Bee experiences with no regrets.
“There’s no glory in winning a contest if it’s not won fairly,” Browning says.
Windows on the World
Exposure to spellers from all over the globe enhances Bee Week experience
BY MICHAEL PERRY
This year, Malek Youssri (speller 87) from Kuwait and Amazing-Grace Salami (speller 153) from Nigeria are among the participants in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, continuing a legacy of spellers from outside the 50 United States that dates back more than 65 years.
from the Azores, who represented Stars and Stripes of Europe in 1957. Souk, an American, previously lived in North Carolina.
“Why do we have international participation?” asks Corrie
They meet students from other countries who provide windows into other cultures, which is so important. And it’s an opportunity for the kids who come here from other countries to learn about the U.S.”
side the White House gates in 2022 before a private tour, spellmoves from their cultures.
“The White House tour was amazing, but much of what made it such a good memory was the fun I had with the other spellers
from a classical Indian dance, which we all tried, and then I showed everyone the hora, a traditional Jewish circle dance. Even Dr. (Jacques) Bailly joined in.”
“Those stories of connection are some of the most compel -
More than two dozen countries
There have been spellers from American Samoa, the Azores, the Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Ghana, Guam, Italy,
Saudi Arabia, South Korea and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
ipate, and this year, Nigeria became the second. Germany and Italy are among countries in Europe that have had the most spellers through the years, with 25 spellers hailing from Germany since its initial representation in 1989. Spellers from European countries have for the most part represented U.S. military families and Department of Defense schools.
“Now more than ever, we need to connect our young ones on shared values and principles,” says Eugenia Tachie-Menson, director of The Spelling Bee Ghana. “We also want to teach our young ones that it is possible to be your friend’s cheerleader if they won at something you couldn’t, and the lessons thereof.”
International students have performed well on spelling’s biggest stage. Twice in Bee history, 1998 and 2007, three of the
Gulf University for Science and Technology, a private university in Kuwait, and Spellingbee In Nigeria are new regional partners this year. Also attending this year’s Bee are representatives from the United Arab Emirates, who have interest in sending champion spellers to Washington, D.C., in the future.
“We hadn’t accepted any new international partners in over aders, so to speak, for the 100th anniversary, which is this year.
“In Kuwait, grade levels and the school year line up with U.S. schools. That’s helpful. An organizer there reached out a couple of years ago and consistently kept the conversation alive. A university is always a great partner for us. The time was right, and so was the partner.”
Beealwayslookingahead
says she is hoping to slowly and thoughtfully consider and add new countries in the coming years. There is no checklist of criteria, she says. “It’s the same way we do it with regional partners in the U.S.,” she continues. “We want to know if they have the internal structure for this to be a sustainable program. Do they have relationships with schools already? Does the school system have a schedule that lines up; are the grades equivalent? There are a lot of factors to consider.”
ers from all over the world interacting with one another during Bee Week, a days-long celebration of academic success that includes not only the competition but also meaningful social opportunities.
“The Scripps National Spelling Bee will continue to evolve
ence for spellers when they come to Bee Week. We want it to be a transformative moment in their lives, and allowing spellers from other countries and other cultures adds to that.”
champipuns
BY AKSHAY AHUJA
With so many of our champions returning, we have decided to celebrate with some puns! Either
Their name will be spelled exactly as it is, and then there will be additional letters before or after
across
People who are always being skeptical around the 2017 champion (11)
2016 champion who makes the fans swoon (11)
1960 winner who conducts, directs, or supervises something (11)
2009 champion who warns others by providing a cautionary detail (6)
What the 1964 champion swings to destroy large buildings (12)
1985 champion known for
2006 champion with large reindeer) (8)
2023 champion with a serious addiction to retail (11)
2000 champion in a semicircular building with rising tiers of seats (13)
down
1962 champion who is also a two-shelled rhythmic instrument from Spain (11)
2008 champion who is a highly social, primarily insectivorous mammal (9)
What the 2004 champion (14)
1973 champion who is quick and nimble on her feet (11)
Strange angular electric vehicle if driven by the 2003 champion (11)
2021 champion known for ers (13)
1961 champion who is ingeniously adept at releasing (13)
What our 2022 champion would insist on doing if given an unfair contract (13)
The special province or domain of the 1980 champion (10)
keeping it 100
across
1. Prima donnas' problems
5. The "L" of XXL
10. Shrek, e.g.
14. Lex_____ (Superman company)
15. Architectural moldings
16. Beseech
17. In the ____ (skillful and focused)
18. Pre-Euro currency in Paris
19. Scotch ____
20. Marked by a belief in human equality
23. "___ the season ..."
24. Adage
25. Catalan painter Joan
26. Tokyo, formerly
27. Ginger ___ (beverage)
28. Sign of a happy dog
31. Bartleby's lament: "I would _____ not to."
33. Sappy trees
36. "No problem!"
37. HOW THE BEE IS FEELING ABOUT THIS SPECIAL YEAR
40. Place for a lecture
42. The "B" in FBI
43. Slips by
46. Money dispenser
47. You will be taking one of these around D.C.
50. Spending limit
51. Attempt (take a ____)
54. Had in mind
56. Hint
57. 18-yard box in soccer
60. Muhammad and Mahershala
62. Without a clue
63. If you keep it 100, you are being...
64. "The Biggest Little City in the World"
65.
66. "... or ___!"
67. Trendsetting
68. Lincoln's 100: Five
69. Textile worker down
1. Dermatitis type (and the only word that has ever been used twice as a winning word!)
2. 10 100 (not to be confused with the search engine)
3. Showy
4. Breadmaker's wheat
5. Room at the top
6. Site of the Taj Mahal
7. Furnish guns again
8. Residents of lamps
BY AKSHAY AHUJA
9. Rugged slope
10. Choice, with "out" or "in"
11. Appreciative
12. More speedy
13. It doesn't look good
21. Des Moines resident
22. "___ any drop to drink": Coleridge
29. Appropriate
30. Smooth-talking
32. Biblical birthright seller
33. Mind ___
34. Big bird
35. Que ____ (x 2)
37. You will hear a lot of this after your turn at the microphone
38. Fishing aid
39. Faye or Wynette
40. 100m x 100m piece of land
41. Was of use
44. Sixth sense, for short
45. What one does in a sauna
47. Only just
48. Nervous feeling
49. Less fresh
52. An attention-drawing caper (often plural)
53. ___ profundo
55. Dog-___
58. "To read" in Spanish
59. Set scale to zero
61. Base of tofu
champions and their winning words
1925
gladiolus
Frank Neuhauser
Louisville Courier-Journal
Louisville, Kentucky
1926 cerise
Pauline Bell
Louisville Courier-Journal
Louisville, Kentucky
1927
abrogate
Dean Lucas
Akron Beacon Journal
Akron, Ohio
1928
knack
Betty Robinson
South Bend News-Times
South Bend, Indiana
1929
luxuriance
Virginia Hogan
The Omaha World-Herald
Omaha, Nebraska
1930
albumen
Helen Jensen
Des Moines
Register & Tribune
Des Moines, Iowa
1931
fracas
Ward Randall White Hall RegisterRepublican White Hall, Illinois
Dean Lucas (1927) was the first champion to represent the Akron Beacon Journal, which has sponsored five champions. He was also the first champion to have spelled in a previous bee. The Akron Beacon Journal has been a regional partner for all 100 years of the Bee!
1932
invulnerable
Dorothy Greenwald
Des Moines Register & Tribune
Des Moines, Iowa 1933 torsion
Alma Roach
Akron Beacon Journal
Akron, Ohio 1934 brethren Sarah Wilson
Portland Evening Express
Portland, Maine
1936
eczema
Jean Trowbridge
Des Moines Register & Tribune
Des Moines, Iowa 1937 promiscuous Waneeta Beckley Louisville Courier-Journal
Louisville, Kentucky 1938 sanitarium
Marian Richardson
Louisville Times Louisville, Kentucky
1940 therapy
Laurel Kuykendall The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Knoxville, Tennessee 1941 initials
Louis Edward Sissman
Detroit News Detroit, Michigan
1946 semaphore
John McKinney
Des Moines Register & Tribune
Des Moines, Iowa
1947
chlorophyll
Mattie Lou Pollard
Atlanta Journal
Atlanta, Georgia
1948 psychiatry
Jean Chappelear
Akron Beacon Journal
Akron, Ohio
1949 onerous
Kim Calvin Canton Repository Canton, Ohio
1950
meticulosity
Colquitt Dean Atlanta Journal
Atlanta, Georgia
meerschaum
Diana Reynard Cleveland Press Cleveland, Ohio
1951 insouciant
Irving Belz
Memphis Press-Scimitar
Memphis, Tennessee
1952 vignette
Doris Ann Hall
Winston-Salem Journal
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
1953
soubrette
Elizabeth Hess
Arizona Republic
Phoenix, Arizona
1954 transept
William Cashore
Norristown Times Herald
Norristown, Pennsylvania
1955 crustaceology
Sandra Sloss
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
St. Louis, Missouri
1956 condominium
Melody Sachko
The Pittsburgh Press Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
El Paso Herald-Post
El Paso, Texas
did you know?
Eczema was the the winning word twice— in 1936 and 1965.
1957
schappe
Dana Bennett
Rocky Mountain News
Denver, Colorado
Sandra Owen Canton Repository
Canton, Ohio
1958
syllepsis
Jolitta
Schlehuber
Topeka Daily Capital
Topeka, Kansas
1959
catamaran
Joel Montgomery
Rocky Mountain News
Denver, Colorado
1960
eudaemonic
Henry Feldman
The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Knoxville, Tennessee
1961
smaragdine
John Capehart
Tulsa Tribune Tulsa, Oklahoma
1962
esquamulose
Nettie
Crawford
El Paso Herald-Post
El Paso, Texas
Michael Day
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
St. Louis, Missouri
1963
equipage
Glen Van Slyke III
The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Knoxville, Tennessee
1964
sycophant
William Kerek
Akron Beacon Journal
Akron, Ohio
1965
eczema
Michael Kerpan, Jr. Tulsa Tribune Tulsa, Oklahoma
1966 ratoon
Robert A. Wake
Houston Chronicle Houston, Texas
1967
Chihuahua
Jennifer Reinke
The Omaha World-Herald
Omaha, Nebraska
1968
abalone
Robert L.
Walters
The Topeka Daily Capital
Topeka, Kansas
1969 interlocutory
Susan Yoachum
The Dallas Morning News Dallas, Texas
1970
croissant
Libby Childress Winston-Salem Journal & Sentinel
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
1971
shalloon
Jonathan Knisely
Philadelphia Bulletin
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1972
macerate
Robin Kral
Lubbock
AvalancheJournal
Lubbock, Texas
1973
vouchsafe
Barrie Trinkle
Fort Worth Press
Fort Worth, Texas
1974
hydrophyte
Julie Ann Junkin
Birmingham Post-Herald
Birmingham, Alabama
1975
incisor
Hugh Tosteson García
The San Juan Star
San Juan, Puerto Rico
1976
narcolepsy
Tim Kneale
Syracuse Herald-JournalAmerican
Syracuse, New York
1977
cambist
John Paola
The Pittsburgh Press
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1978
deification
Peg McCarthy
The Topeka Capital-Journal
Topeka, Kansas
1979
maculature
Katie Kerwin
Rocky Mountain News
Denver, Colorado
1980 elucubrate
Jacques Bailly
Rocky Mountain News
Denver, Colorado
1981 sarcophagus
Paige Pipkin
El Paso Herald-Post
El Paso, Texas
1982
psoriasis
Molly Dieveney
Rocky Mountain News
Denver, Colorado
1983
Purim
Blake Giddens
El Paso Herald-Post
El Paso, Texas
1984
luge
Daniel Greenblatt
Loudoun TimesMirror
Leesburg, Virginia
1985 milieu
Balu Natarajan
Chicago Tribune
Chicago, Illinois
1986
odontalgia
Jon Pennington
The Patriot-News
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
1987
staphylococci
Stephanie Petit
The Pittsburgh Press
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1988 elegiacal Rageshree
Ramachandran
The Sacramento Bee
Sacramento, California
1989 spoliator
Scott Isaacs
Rocky Mountain News
Denver, Colorado
1990
fibranne
Amy Marie
Dimak
The Seattle Times
Seattle, Washington
1991
antipyretic
Joanne Lagatta
The Wisconsin State Journal
Madison, Wisconsin
1925
John Tigert
1926
Mary McSkimmon
1927
John H. Bartlett
1928–1938
Donald McWain
1939–1940
Douglas D. Cornette
1941–1948
Max B. Cook
1949–1956
Charles Schneider
1957–1959
Richard D. Peters
1960–1984
James H. Wagner
executive directors pronouncers
1925–1927
Dr. George S. Wills, Western Maryland College
1927
Samuel M. North, Supervisor of Maryland High Schools
1928–1935
Dr. Charles E. Hill, George Washington University
1936–1940;
1946–1947
Harold F. Harding, George Washington University
1941–1942
Dr. W. Hayes Yeager, George Washington University
1948–1960
Benson S. Alleman, American University
1985–1986
Mary L. Mangold
1985–1989
Mary Curtin-Brooks
1987
Susan Miller
1988–1991
Sondra J. Austin
1990–1997
Reta Rose
1996–2020
Paige P. Kimble
2021–2022
Dr. J. Michael Durnil
2023–Present
1961–1980
Dr. Richard R. Baker, University of Dayton
1981–2002
Dr. Alex J. Cameron, University of Dayton
2003–present
Dr. Jacques Bailly, University of Vermont
2019–present
Dr. Brian Sietsema, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
2024–present
Dr. Kevin Moch, Quizlet
1992
lyceum
Amanda Goad
The Richmond News Leader
Richmond, Virginia
1993 kamikaze
Geoff Hooper
The Commercial Appeal
Memphis, Tennessee
1994
antediluvian
Ned G.
Andrews
The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Knoxville, Tennessee
1995 xanthosis
Justin Tyler Carroll
The Commercial Appeal
Memphis, Tennessee
1996
vivisepulture
Wendy Guey
The Palm Beach Post
West Palm Beach, Florida
1997
euonym
Rebecca Sealfon
Daily News
New York, New York
1998
chiaroscurist
Jody-Anne Maxwell
Phillips & Phillips
Stationery
Supplies
Kingston, Jamaica
1999 logorrhea
Nupur Lala
The Tampa Tribune
Tampa, Florida
2000
demarche
George Abraham Thampy
St. Louis
Post-Dispatch
St. Louis, Missouri
2001 succedaneum
Sean Conley
Aitkin
Independent Age
Aitkin, Minnesota
2002
prospicience
Pratyush
Buddiga
Rocky Mountain News
Denver, Colorado
2003
pococurante
Sai R. Gunturi
The Dallas Morning News
Dallas, Texas
2004
autochthonous
David Scott
Pilarski
Tidmarsh
South Bend Tribune
South Bend, Indiana
2005 appoggiatura
Anurag
Kashyap
San Diego Union-Tribune
San Diego, California
2006
Ursprache
Katharine Close
Asbury Park Press/Home News Tribune
Asbury Park, New Jersey
2007 serrefine
Evan M. O’Dorney
Contra Costa Times
Walnut Creek, California
2008
guerdon
Sameer Mishra Journal and Courier
Lafayette, Indiana
2009
Laodicean
Kavya Shivashankar
The Olathe News
Olathe, Kansas
2010
stromuhr
Anamika Veeramani
The Plain Dealer Cleveland, Ohio
feuilleton
Ansun Sujoe
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, Texas
2017
marocain
Ananya Vinay
The Fresno Bee Fresno, California
second chances
At least eight champions were reinstated en route to victory: Jean Trowbridge (1936), Louis Edward Sissman (1941), Mattie Lou Pollard (1947), Colquitt Dean (1950), Doris Ann Hall (1952), Sandra Owen (1957), Jolitta Schlehuber (1958) and Harini Logan (2022).
2011
cymotrichous
Sukanya Roy Times Leader Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
2012
guetapens
Snigdha Nandipati
U-T San Diego
San Diego, California
2013
knaidel
Arvind Mahankali
Daily News
New York, New York
2014
stichomythia
Sriram
Hathwar Corning Rotary Club
Corning, New York
2015
scherenschnitte
Vanya Shivashankar
The Olathe News
Olathe, Kansas
nunatak
Gokul Venkatachalam
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis, Missouri
2016
Feldenkrais
Jairam Hathwar Corning Rotary Club Corning, New York
gesellschaft Nihar Janga
Houston Public Media Houston, Texas
2018
koinonia
Karthik Nemmani
Scoggins Middle School
McKinney, Texas
2019
auslaut
Rishik Gandhasri Bay Area
Regional Spelling Bee
San Francisco, California
erysipelas
Erin Howard
Adventure Travel
Birmingham, Alabama
palama
Abhijay Kodali
Dallas Sports Commission
Dallas, Texas
aiguillette
Shruthika Padhy
Rosa International Middle School
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
odylic
Rohan Raja
Dallas Sports Commission
Dallas, Texas
cernuous
Christopher Serrao
Discover Lehigh Valley Allentown, Pennsylvania
pendeloque Sohum Sukhatankar
Dallas Sports Commission
Dallas, Texas
bougainvillea Saketh Sundar
Howard County Library
Columbia, Maryland
2021
Murraya Zaila Avant-garde
New Orleans Chapter of The Links
New Orleans, Louisiana
2022
moorhen
Harini Logan Brauntex
Performing Arts Theatre Association
San Antonio, Texas
2023
psammophile
Dev Shah
SNSB Region One Bee Largo, Florida
2024
abseil
Bruhat Soma Rays Baseball Foundation and Rowdies Soccer Fund
St. Petersburg, Florida
53 girls
56 boys
32
20
3
State by State
champions by state
Texas ( 16 ) Richard Earnhart, El Paso, 1942; Nettie Crawford, El Paso, 1962; Robert A. Wake, Houston, 1966; Susan Yoachum, Dallas, 1969; Robin Kral, Lubbock, 1972; Barrie Trinkle, Fort Worth, 1973; Paige Pipkin, El Paso, 1981; Blake Giddens, El Paso, 1983; Sai R. Gunturi, Dallas, 2003; Ansun Sujoe, Fort Worth, 2014; Nihar Janga, Houston, 2016; Karthik Nemmani, McKinney, 2018; Abhijay Kodali, Dallas, 2019; Sohum Sukhatankar, Dallas, 2019; Rohan Raja, Dallas, 2019; Harini Logan, San Antonio, 2022.
Ohio ( 9 ) Dean Lucas, Akron, 1927; Alma Roach, Akron, 1933; Clara Mohler, Akron, 1935; Jean Chappelear, Akron, 1948; Kim Calvin, Canton, 1949; Diana Reynard, Cleveland, 1950; Sandra Owen, Canton, 1957; William Kerek, Akron, 1964; Anamika Veeramani, Cleveland, 2010.
Pennsylvania ( 8 ) William Cashore, Norristown, 1954; Melody Sachko, Pittsburgh, 1956; Jonathan Knisely, Philadelphia, 1971; John Paola, Pittsburgh, 1977; Jon Pennington, Harrisburg, 1986; Stephanie Petit, Pittsburgh, 1987; Sukanya Roy, Wilkes-Barre, 2011; Christopher Serrao, Allentown, 2019.
Colorado ( 7 ) Dana Bennett, Denver, 1957; Joel Montgomery, Denver, 1959; Katie Kerwin, Denver, 1979; Jacques Bailly, Denver, 1980; Molly Dieveney, Denver, 1982; Scott Isaacs, Denver, 1989; Pratyush Buddiga, Denver, 2002.
Tennessee ( 7 ) Laura Kuykendall, Knoxville, 1940; Irving Belz, Memphis, 1951; Henry Feldman, Knoxville, 1960; 1993; Ned G. Andrews, Knoxville, 1994; Justin Tyler Carroll, Memphis, 1995.
California (6 ) Rageshree Ramachandran, Sacramento, 1988; Anurag Kashyap, San Diego, 2005; Evan M. O’Dorney, Walnut Creek, 2007; Snigdha Nandipati, San Diego, 2012; Ananya Vinay, Fresno, 2017; Rishik Gandhasri, San Francisco, 2019.
New York ( 5 ) Tim Kneale, Syracuse, 1976; Rebecca Sealfon, New York City, 1997; Arvind Mahankali, New York City, 2013; Sriram Hathwar, Corning, 2014; Jairam Hathwar, Corning, 2016.
Florida (4 ) Wendy Guey, West Palm Beach, 1996; Nupur Lala, Tampa, 1999; Dev Shah, Largo, 2023; Bruhat Soma, St. Petersburg, 2024.
Iowa ( 4 ) Helen Jensen, Des Moines, 1930; Dorothy Greenwald, Des Moines, 1932; Jean Trowbridge, Des Moines, 1936; John McKinney, Des Moines, 1946.
Kentucky ( 4 ) Frank Neuhauser, Louisville, 1925; Pauline Bell, Louisville, 1926; Waneeta Beckley, Louisville, 1937; Marian Richardson, Louisville, 1938.
Missouri ( 4 ) Sandra Sloss, St. Louis, 1955; Michael Day, St. Louis, 1962; George Abraham Thampy, St. Louis, 2000; Gokul Venkatachalam, St. Louis, 2015.
Indiana ( 3 ) Betty Robinson, South Bend, 1928; David Tidmarsh, South Bend, 2004; Sameer Mishra, Lafayette, 2008.
states with 2 champions
Alabama – Julie Ann Junkin, Birmingham, 1974; Erin Howard, Birmingham, 2019. Georgia – Mattie Lou Pollard, Atlanta, 1947; Colquitt Dean, Atlanta, 1950. Illinois – Ward Randall, White Hall, 1931; Balu Natarajan, Chicago, 1985. Nebraska – Virginia Hogan, Omaha, 1929; Jennifer Reinke, Omaha, 1967. New Jersey – Katharine Close, Asbury Park, 2006; Shruthika Padhy, Cherry Hill, 2019. North Carolina –Doris Ann Hall, Winston-Salem, 1952; Libby Childress, Winston-Salem, 1970. Oklahoma – John Capehart, Tulsa, 1961; Michael Kerpan, Jr., Tulsa, 1965. Virginia – Daniel Greenblatt, Leesburg, 1984; Amanda Goad, Richmond, 1992.
states/others with 1 champion
Arizona – Elizabeth Hess, Phoenix, 1953. Louisiana – Zaila Avant-garde, New Orleans, 2021. Maine – Sarah Wilson, Portland, 1934. Maryland – Saketh Sundar, Columbia, 2019. Massachusetts – Elizabeth Ann Rice, Worcester, 1939. Michigan – Louis Edward Sissman, Detroit, 1941. Minnesota –Sean Conley, Aitkin, 2001. Washington – Amy Marie Dimak, Seattle, 1990. Wisconsin – Joanne Lagatta, Madison, 1991. Jamaica – Jody-Anne Maxwell, 1998. Puerto Rico – Hugh Tosteson García, 1975.
states waiting for their first champion
Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming
Following his Scripps National Spelling Bee victory, 2024 champion Bruhat Soma—with his family—were celebrated from New York to California to Florida.
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE
After a jam-packed Friday morning chatting with morning news outlets including “Good Morning America,” “TODAY” and Scripps News—it was time for Bruhat to pay a visit to the White House with the rest of the 2024 finalists.
TO THE BIG APPLE
The Monday following his win, Bruhat was in New York City for an appearance on “Live with Kelly and Ryan” where he won a never-before-played game of “Stump Mark.” He then headed to Times Square to ring the Nasdaq Closing Bell.
TO HOLLYWOOD
From there, it was on to Los Angeles to try his hand at Jimmy Kimmel’s infamous spelling bee. And while he may have tied with Jimmy—thanks to Guillermo's questionable pronunciations—he walked away with his very own drum set from the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” team.
HOMECOMING
Finally, after an action-packed week for our 2024 champion, it was time for the return home. Bruhat was welcomed at the Tampa airport by representatives from his school, the community and local news teams—all anxious to hear about his once-in-alifetime experience.
A PARADE FIT FOR A CHAMPION
But before the celebrations wrapped, friends, family and community members came together to give Bruhat a proper championship parade— complete with a grand chariot.
Where Are They Now?
1958 champion
Jolitta “Jo” (Schlehuber) Hutson made a game show appearance that led to a life of adventure –AMY BLAKELY
Jolitta “Jo” (Schlehuber) Hutson went straight from her 1958 ScrippsHoward National Spelling Bee championship to compete on “The $64,000 Question” game show.
Emboldened by those experiences, Hutson—a self-described “little farm girl”—would embark on a lifelong spell of adventures.
Hutson, now 81, grew up on a farm near McPherson, Kansas, and attended a two-room country school. She set her sights on the Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee in fourth grade when a teacher showed her a magazine story about Washington, D.C.
In seventh grade, Hutson made it to the national competition but placed fourth after misspelling racemiform . The next year, Hutson claimed the trophy propylaeum and syllepsis . Both years, she represented the Topeka Daily Capital newspaper.pion from Kansas, Hutson said she was feted with a hometown parade and dinner at the governor’s mansion.
But Hutson’s spelling competition didn’t end there. Immediately after winning the Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee, a talent scout for “The $64,000 Question” invited her to appear on the TV game show.
($64, $128, $256, $512; then $1,000, $2,000, $4,000, $8,000,
her accumulated winnings, Hutson opted to stop at $8,000.
“I had enough to pay for college,” she says. “That gave me a springboard to do things.”
In addition to earning tuition money, the New York trips gave Hutson a chance to explore the Big Apple and experience
Hutson went on to major in math and chemistry at Wheaton College, near Chicago. After graduating, she moved to Venezuela where she taught school.
“It was an adventure,” Hutson says. “Someone said they needed a teacher, so I went.”
LOVING CUP Jolitta “Jo” (Schlerhuber) Hutson launched a life of adventure after her 1958 Bee win.
“spelling,” and she had to tackle one or more words to win that week’s prize, which essentially doubled each week she continued
After two years, Hutson quit her job and spent three months touring South America by bus with her sister.
Returning home, Hutson— who had learned Spanish in Venezuela—enrolled at the Teachers College at Emporia State University in Kansas to earn her master’s degree in Spanish. After that, she took a job teaching in Humboldt, Kansas.
“My theory was, if you stayed too long,” Hutson says.
However, Hutson met and married her husband, Al, in Humboldt, and the couple settled there for about 16 years—until Al took early retirement from the electric company.
After that, the couple’s vagabond spirit revived.
They moved to Taos, New Mexico, where they bought and restored a 250-year-old adobe house to open as a bed and breakfast. A few years later, they moved to Vadito, New Mexico, in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, where they kept Peruvian Pasos horses, and Hutson took up watercolor painting.
In subsequent years, they also lived in Michigan, Indiana and Florida. They traveled a lot, too, including taking bicycling trips through Denmark, France and Ireland.
Now, after a lifetime of adventures, Hutson said she’s content to stay put with her husband in their Clay Center, Kansas, home. She has three stepsons, and “lots” of grandchildren and great grandchildren. She enjoys reading, leading Bible studies, playing pickleball and volunteering at a clothing outreach center.
No questions asked: Bee winner
Jennifer Reinke helped build her hometown library —AMY BLAKELY
J 1967 champion
ennifer Reinke, then 14 years old, won the 1967 Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee without ask-guages of origin or alternate pronunciations.
Fifty years later, Reinke accomplished another amazing feat: She built a new library—the Jennifer Reinke Public Library—in her hometown of Deshler, Nebraska.
Reinke, now 72, retired in 2018, after working for 34½ years as a secretary at her family’s business, Reinke Manufacturing. She now lives in Hebron, Nebraska, eight miles from Deshler.
“I’m basically a quiet person,” says Reinke, who rarely does interviews. “I’m not real outgoing.”
Reinke’s sister, Patricia Schardt, says Reinke didn’t speak until age 3. Yet Reinke has always had an impressive ability to remember things, like spelling words. “I have taught both special education and gifted education and I have never seen another child who could see words or numbers and remember the sequence nearly every time,” Schardt says.
As an eighth-grader, Reinke qualified for the national spelling bee by winning the Omaha World Herald’s Midwest Spelling Bee.
During the two-day competition, Reinke breezed through most of her words: lily, icy, leisurely, applique, acetate, albino, episcopacy, demurrage, athodyd, and antimacassar . Reinke says she didn’t ask any questions because she didn’t need to.
“I knew the words,” she says.
In the end, Reinke tripped on the word spinnaker , but the only other remaining speller, Anne Clark of Huntington, West Virginia, also misspelled it. When Clark missed milline , Reinke spelled it correctly and then clinched victory by spelling Chihuahua . (Note: Correcting a misspelling is no longer part of the competition rules.)
“The moment I realized I had won, that was a happy memory,” Reinke says.
That Christmas, in honor of her spelling victory, Reinke got a Chihuahua. She named it Bee-Bee.
$1,000 scholarship when they graduate from high school.
In 2012, Reinke decided to build a new library in her hometown. Deshler’s old library, built in the 1950s, was on the second story of a building with no elevators, making it inaccessible to disabled patrons.
Reinke was the primary donor. Her siblings, the Nebraska Community Foundation and community donations also sup-
Inside the library, a photo of 15-year-old Reinke with BeeBee hangs on a wall covered with words Reinke spelled during her Bee appearances.
Reinke says the library is her gift to her hometown: “It’s because everyone welcomed me after I won. It was kind of a way to pay back the community.”
In 2001, Reinke created a scholarship for the Thayer County Spelling Bee winner. Each year, she
IN HER NAME (Top to bottom) Jennifer Reinke after the 1967 Bee; Reinke (in red) with teacher Marvin Engel and his wife, Leora; the new library in Deshler, Nebraska.
Where Are They Now?
1985 champion
Trendsetter: Balu Natarajan was first Indian-American to win —AMY BLAKELY
IIndian-American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Since then, 29 of the last 35 champions—including seven of the eight “Octochamps” in 2019 and the three most recent champions—have been Indian-American.
physician in internal medicine, hospice and palliative care, and sports medicine. He is the executive vice president and healthcare company.
Foundation, an organization that’s helped countless IndianAmerican students excel in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Almost all of the Bee’s Indian-American champions have parNorthSouth kids.
migrated to America from the Kerala region of southern India.
won the Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee on his third try. His mother quizzed him on words from the library of Words of father had collected.
After clinching the national contest on the word milieu , Natarajan experienced the usual media hoopla that surrounds the champion; he appeared on “Good Morning America” and
“When I was competing, I had no idea that I was representing a community,” Natarajan says. “I quickly learned that the victory was embraced by the Indian community in particular.”
Natarajan earned his bachelor’s degree at Northwestern University in Illinois and went on to study medicine at Northwestern Medical School.
Natarajan and his wife, Meena, an orthodontist, have two sons, Atman and Advaith.
Atman, now a freshman studying mechanical engineering at Kettering University in Flint, Michigan, competed in the Scripps
pandemic. Advaith, now a high school freshman, competed in the 2022 Bee.
Both boys grew up active in NorthSouth, competing multiple times in the organization's national spelling competition.ically disadvantaged students in India and the U.S., the NorthSouth Foundation now has 90 chapters nationwide. It sponsors education and social activities, including its own regional and national competitions in spelling and STEM subjects.
Although NorthSouth didn’t exist when Natarajan won the Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee, he has been involved with it since its inception. While in medi-
spelling bee.
Natarajan said NorthSouth alumni embrace a “pay it forward” culture. Many, like his own sons, stay involved to coach younger students.
“The real secret sauce of NorthSouth is the togetherness,” Natarajan says. “There’s a spirit of camaraderie among the Indian-American spellers who come together through the organization.
“It’s not cutthroat. They are pushing each other to succeed.”
FIRST OF MANY Balu Natarajan (at left in the back row) was the first Indian-American student to win the Bee, in 1985. Natarajan with his wife Meena and their sons Atman and Advaith today (top).
1997-98 runner-up
Back-to-back second-place finishes teach Prem Trivedi life lessons
—AMY BLAKELY
hen the 1997 Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee
the word cortile . He placed second. the word prairillon
were his spelling coaches.
world.
sponsors regional and nation-
SO CLOSE Prem Trivedi prepares to spell during the 1998 Bee.
corrie’s top 10 bee memories
The best Bee Week memories aren't all made on the stage. Executive Director Corrie Loeffler has been around the Bee for a few decades now; here are some of her favorite moments.
1990: Ice Cream Social
3
1994: Virginia Reel
1995: Dr. Bailly in the elevator
2010: Shaq Vs.
Dance parties Championship moments 1 2 7
2014: Milkshake-gate
2019: Octochamps on the subway
2008: Viva La Vida
2021: Mary moments
guiding the Bee into its next century
One of my favorite moments of the year is when I get to present the Scripps Cup to the newly crowned Scripps National Spelling Bee champion. I love seeing the joy exuded by the parents and the absolute delight (and relief) on the faces of the winning spellers.
meaningful. editor of Scripps-Howard Newspapers. He wrote:
“Several participating Scripps-Howard newspapers and a number of outside papers have urged to the lasting power of the national spelling bee.
th anniversary of the Bee this year and to see familiar faces of forsalute to educational excellence and continuing to honor these dedicated spellers, young students who
Adam Symson President and CEO
The E.W. Scripps Company
Akron Beacon Journal: A century of words and wisdom
—MOLLY MIOSSI
As we mark a century of spelling excellence, we honor this year’s Regional Partner of the Year, the Akron Beacon Journal, which has remained a steadfast regional partner since the inception of the National Spelling Bee in 1925.
“The Akron Beacon Journal was one of only nine executive director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. “Thanks, in part, to the Beacon Journal's unwavering support, millions of students have been able to compete at all levels
For 100 years, the Akron Beacon Journal has been dedicated to fostering connections of the competition evolve, but the essence remains the same. “This is an opportunity for chilwith the contestants. As a regional partner, her goal is to create an inviting atmosphere, encouraging shy spellers to shine and feel supported, even when they stumble. “It’s not camaraderie among parents, teachers and participants grow over time.
As the longest-running participating regional partner, the Akron Beacon Journal has a
Dallas as the No. 2 city sponsoring the most champions in the history of the Bee.
FROM DAY ONE
Corrie
the opportunity to interview Thompson. During the interview, Thompson recounted comThompson was declared co-champion after eight and a half hours of competition.
As we look forward to the next century of spelling bees, the stories of past champions like Thompson serve as a reminder of the impact this event has on individual lives and the communities it touches.
The Akron Beacon Journal’s role in this journey is not merely historical; it is a vibrant part of the Bee’s story that continues to inspire and unite generations.
“There aren’t that many opportunities like this for children, and for us, it’s a great chance to get into the commuparticipating bee and have the kids who are so eager to be
Loeffler (left) and Bryan Witt (right) with Cheryl Powell and Laura Kessel of the Akron Beacon Journal.
Nikki Montana swarms with enthusiasm —MOLLY MIOSSI
The 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee Educator of the Year is described by her principal as “a Nikki Montana has worked in education for 26 years, but her journey with the Bee began a deWhen she transitioned to a new role as the school’s teacher leader, she recognized the
Not only does Montana coordinate the bee, but she also organizes events that build Montana celebrates the spellers with personalized awards, water bottles, t-shirts and a not only recognize the students’ dedication but also help instill a sense of pride through newsletters and invitations, which motivates kids for learnmoney, but this is an easy way for them to get involved—make a few “Nikki’s work directly addresses the academic barriers these stuof their background or abilities, she created a level playing example of how one person’s vision can transform an entire Montana’s goal is to have one of her students advance further in the competition next year, and she said a parent already reached out about how to help their child prepare She hopes to inspire more schools in the area to sign up,
“Teach For America (TFA) is thrilled to team up with the Scripps National Spelling Bee to celebrate the 2025 Educator of the Year and the teachers across the country who go above and beyond to ensure all kids have what they need to learn, lead, and thrive in the 21st century. As a network of more than 70,000 teachers, tutors and alumni, we are committed to working with partners that are illuminating the brilliance of every child and the teachers that support them.”
—Steve Majors, EVP, Chief External Affairs Officer at Teach For America
Behind the mic: Tom Wadsworth’s 43-year commitment to young spellers —MOLLY MIOSSI
HUG IT OUT
This year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee Regional Volunteer of the Year is being hon-
In 1983, Tom Wadsworth was working two jobs—a local radio personality and minister—when he was asked to become the pronouncer of the Sterling, Illinois,
“I still remember that heart-pounding nervousness of standing up and trying to spell in front of the class when I was in the eighth grade,” Wad-
Now, six decades after competing in his school bee, Wadsworth uses
“I had a mission since day one to make sure these kids feel totally at
until the competition to give them guidance, he conducts a rehearsal for
contestants here today—how many are going to misspell a word tomorrow?’ ”
entering the auditorium for rehearsals, overwhelmed by the sight of the stage, the lights
Shortly after her daughter arrived, Wadsworth went through his rehearsal routine,
The mother’s thank-you letter ends with, “I wanted you to know that after the practice session,
“The impact of a good pronouncer is truly invalucorrectly; it’s about fostering an environment where spellers feel supported through your demeanor, in-
decades, Tom has given spellers in his region the best chance to shine onstage, thanks to his rare combina-
Tom Wadsworth (left) with Sarah Troutman in 2002.
akeelah ... 19 years later
Now 31, actress, singer and TV personality Keke Palmer was 12 when she starred in the award-winning movie “Akeelah and the Bee,” which chronicled an 11-year-old’s emotional and inspirational journey to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
What do you recall from the audition?
There weren’t a lot of roles for little girls, especially little Black girls, and positive ones, big ones where they’re the lead of the movie. So, there was a lot of hype around it.
What did you think your chances were of getting the part? I don’t know if I thought about my chances. My mom put so much emphasis on my preparation. my lines. We rehearsed them so many times. I put so much more value on being prepared. I still do to this day. And I put so much more value on my mom being proud of me than get the roles.
Do you have a favorite memory from making the movie? Being with other children. I was liked being around kids my age because when I entered the industry, I had to start homeschooling. And then all the movies I did, I was always some sidekick to an adult character or their when me and the kids got to hang out or even do schoolwork.
In the movie, do you remember the word you spelled to win? Oh yeah, pulchritude. It comes from a Latin word meaning “beautiful.” You know it’s a metaphor. At the beginning of the movie, she had so much shame about who she was and where she came from and being smart and feeling like that wasn’t something she was allowed to be in her culture. It’s so inspiring when you break it down. I obviously didn’t know that as a kid. It’s so amazing to see that little girl realize that she was beautiful and that she should have pride in who she is and where she came from.
What did you think when you saw the finished version of the movie?
I don’t think I was as emotional as most people when they watched it because I hadn’t lived enough of life to understand the impact of why the movie was so inspiring. I remember thinking, Oh, it’s a good movie. It wasn’t
until I became an adult, around 30, to be honest, when I really understood the impact of a little girl, especially a little Black girl, being able to use words to articulate and express herself and
Will you sit down and watch it with your 2-year-old son at some point? I can’t wait. I can already tell he likes movies. I guess sometimes the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. I’ll probably try to watch it with him when he’s about 4 or 5. I could try to put it on now, but his attention for humans (vs. animation) is tough.
Do you follow the Scripps National Spelling Bee every year? I don’t. But I do remember when (Zaila Avantgarde) won (in 2021). I remember thinking, she’s the real Akeelah. I never did get a chance to meet her.
Are you aware of how popular and important the movie is in the spelling community? Oh my gosh, no. You never know how
What impact do you think that role has had on your career? That is my most representative legacy piece of work. It encapsulated the kind of talent that I hoped to be as I evolved into being an artist. It introduced the world to something that I hoped ended up being true, which is my deep regard and respect for having a platform and being able to share important, touching-yet-nuanced stories that represent my community—but that people from any background could also relate to.
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2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee guide to all 243 spellers
100 years of the bee
InsIdE
* National competitors
* Meet the Bee team, College Crew, officials and word panelists
would you sign my bee keeper, please?
One of the great traditions of Bee Week is asking spellers and officials to sign your Bee Keeper, which includes photos and information on all 243 spellers competing in the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Can you get every signature in the book?
#1 SNIGDHA PATI
10 years old • 4th grade
Snigdha has been playing chess for four years.
Deer Valley Elementary School • Alabama Kiwanis Foundation (Birmingham, Alabama)
Majo has a great sense of humor and loves to set up sleepovers at her house.
#2 MARIA JOSE HERNANDEZ-ZAMORA
13 years old • 7th grade
Homer Middle School • Anchorage Daily News (Anchorage, Alaska)
#3 ELDEN WIER
13 years old • 8th grade
Elden has lived in Minnesota; Oklahoma; Okinawa, Japan; Maryland and Alaska, and he moves to Hawaii this summer.
Cyberlynx School • Fairbanks North Star Borough School District (Fairbanks, Alaska)
Esha writes lyrics and composes her own songs.
#4 ESHA MARUPUDI
13 years old • 7th grade
BASIS School - Chandler • Arizona Educational Foundation (Phoenix, Arizona)
Meet the Spellers
Salman is obsessed with car washes and the solar system.
Sumukh’s name is of Sanskrit origin, meaning “handsome,” “pleasantfaced” or “auspicious.”
#5 SALMAN RASHID
11 years old • 6th grade
Jack W. Harmon Elementary School • Arizona Educational Foundation (Phoenix, Arizona)
#6 SUMUKH TIRUMALASETTY
10 years old • 4th grade
New Vistas Academy • Arizona Educational Foundation (Phoenix, Arizona)
#7 CHRISTOPHER
JAMES WERITO
13 years old • 8th grade
Christopher is a starting pitcher on his baseball team.
Sara’s robotics team competed in the VEX IQ World Championship for the Divisional Finals.
#8 SARA HWA SOON CHEN
12 years old • 6th grade
Pinnacle View Middle School • Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas (Little Rock, Arkansas)
Tsaile Elementary School • Navajo Times Publishing Company (Window Rock, Arizona)
Autographs
Aarav plays as a goalkeeper— his favorite position—for his school’s soccer team.
#9 AARAV VIRAT BALANI
13 years old • 8th grade
Lyford Cay International School • The Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training (Nassau, The Bahamas)
Bria was a competitive gymnast for three years and danced for nine years at The Island Dance Academy.
#10 BRIA IONA CURRY
12 years old • 8th grade
Wellington Preparatory School • The Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training (Nassau, The Bahamas)
Enzo made it to the Kern County Junior High Honor Band as second-chair
#11 ENZO SINGSON PAYLAGA
14 years old • 8th grade
Norris Middle School • KERO Channel 23
#12 AREN JIE LEE
13 years old • 8th grade
Autographs
Aren’s favorite food from Taiwan is pineapple cake.
King’s Academy • San Ramon Valley Rotary Club (Danville, California)
Meet the Spellers
Aiden has been learning German since last summer, and he has a Duolingo streak of over 200 days.
#13 AIDEN YOUNING MENG
12 years old • 6th grade
Orinda Intermediate School • San Ramon Valley Rotary Club (Danville, California)
Rithvi has perfect pitch, the ability to identify a note without an external reference, which occurs in 1 of every 10,000 people.
#14 RITHVI BALAJEE
12 years old • 7th grade
Stratford School - Pleasanton Middle School • San Ramon Valley Rotary Club (Danville, California)
Autographs
Madison rescued and adopted a stray cat.
#15 MADISON VIOLET GRAY
13 years old • 7th grade
Wilson Junior High School • Imperial County
If there’s music playing, Ike is moving; he’s been dancing since he was a baby.
#16 ISAAC SPERLING
10 years old • 4th grade
Jacoby Creek Charter School • Humboldt County
#17 CAROLINE MAE VAN GARSSE
14 years old • 8th grade •
(Fresno, California)
Caroline is band, and she also plays soprano piano.
#18 SYDNEY
TAMNHU TRAN
13 years old • 7th grade
Sydney’s favorite drink with boba.
• The Orange County California)
Kamya and her sister have published their
“Kingdoms in the Shadows: A Tale of Mystery, War, and Betrayal.”
#19 KAMYA BALAJI
12 years old • 6th grade
• Los Angeles County
a National History Day honorable mention for his essay on the rights and responsibilities
#20 OLIVER SULLIVAN McRAE HALKETT
13 years old • 7th grade
•
Meet the Spellers
#21 LAWRENCE YE
13 years old • 8th grade
Lawrence has had perfect pitch since he was in third grade.
#22 VICTORIA YUANYUAN LI
Victoria has named all 200 of her stuffed she remembers each of them.
Herbert Hoover Middle School • Merced County
11 years old • 6th grade
Philistine Rondo School of Discovery • Riverside
Shruthi likes every genre of music and listens to everything from rock to K-pop to classical.
#23 SHRUTHI SRINIVASAN
12 years old • 6th grade
Rocklin Academy • Terrell Christopher Gladney
Ryan visited Scandinavia last summer.
#24 RYAN SEKERA
10 years old • 5th grade • Terrell
Christopher Gladney Memorial Academy
Autographs
#25 SEREN KIM
11 years old • 6th grade
Seren was once bitten by a pig.
#26 HANNAH KUO
12 years old • 7th grade
La Mesa Elementary School • Monterey County
Hannah’s dream is to be an entrepreneur or interior designer.
Granite Mountain Charter School • San Bernardino County Superintendent
Angeline’s favorite sports are swimming and rock climbing.
#27 ANGELINE WANG
11 years old • 5th grade
Caryn Elementary School • San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
#28 DUAA ASIYAH OUZNALI
13 years old • 8th grade
Autographs
Duaa’s father and her mother is from Trinidad.
Bright Horizon Academy • ABC 10News
Meet the Spellers
Charlie is a Pokémon specialist who knows all about different Pokémon, from their types to their evolutions.
#29 CHARLIE HUANG
11 years old • 5th grade
Brookside Elementary School • Sage (Thousand Oaks, California)
Sarvadnya speaks Marathi, Hindi and English and wants to learn Sanskrit after he retires from spelling.
#30 SARVADNYA JITENDRA KADAM
14 years old • 8th grade
Oak Grove Elementary School • Tulare
Autographs
#31 BOHAN WANG
11 years old • 6th grade
David won the maritime championship for grades 4-6 in 2024.
Halifax Grammar School • Cape Breton University (Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada)
Arshan can fold his tongue sideways.
#32 ARSHAN SHAHRIAR
11 years old • 5th grade
Selwyn Public School • ECU - A Division of WFCU Credit Union (Windsor, Ontario, Canada)
Kavya learned how to make rolled ice cream, milkshakes volunteering at an ice cream shop.
#33 KAVYA VASUDEVA
13 years old • 7th grade
Christ the King French Immersion Catholic Elementary School • WFCU Credit Union (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada)
Blanche is a gourmand who loves trying new and exotic foods from around the world.
#34 BLANCHE YANG LI
14 years old • 8th grade
Summit Middle Charter School • Boulder Valley School District (Boulder, Colorado)
Ved loves watching of the Denver Nuggets.
#35 VEDANTH RAJU
12 years old • 7th grade
Aurora Quest K-8 School • The Denver Post (Denver, Colorado)
#36 NATHAN SETTEVENDEMIE
13 years old • 8th grade
Nathan is passionate running; he is always working toward a running goal.
•
House & West Hartford Historical Society (West Hartford, Connecticut)
Meet the Spellers
Siara is a huge fan of the Percy Jackson & the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan.
#37 SIARA HUSAIN
11 years old • 6th grade
Islamic Academy Of Delaware • First State Educate (Hockessin, Delaware)
Abigail always loves to tuck in her shirt.
#38 ABIGAIL INIOLUWA ADEGBITE
11 years old • 5th grade
Heather Hills Elementary School • The Washington Informer (Washington, District of Columbia)
Zwe is a big fan of “StarTalk,” a podcast hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson.
#39 ZWE SUNYATA SPACETIME
13 years old • 7th grade
Louis Armstrong Homeschool • The Washington Informer (Washington, District of Columbia)
#40 WILLIAM IBRAHIM BECK
14 years old • 8th grade
Ibrahim’s YouTube channel, “Kirby and Zelda Studios,” has over 1 million total views.
Kaiserslautern Middle School • European PTSA (Defense and State Department Schools, Europe)
Autographs
#41 ELIAS
Elias enjoys origami because it gives him time to relax, and he to look at the
BENJAMIN JAVELONA
13 years old • 7th grade
Howard Middle School • SNSB Region
Two Bee (Belleview, Florida)
Nicasio is an altar server and lector at his
#42 NICASIO DAVID
14 years old • 8th grade
Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School •
Autographs
Sree Vidya won Honorable Mention in C-SPAN’s National StudentCam for her
#43 SREE VIDYA SILIVERI
14 years old • 8th grade • WJXT (Jacksonville, Florida)
#44 HADI ABBASI
12 years old • 6th grade
Hadi has been to the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest structure, but it was too foggy
Franklin Academy Pembroke Pines • Miami Herald (Miami, Florida)
Meet the Spellers
#45 NIKHIL SHA
13 years old • 7th grade
Nikhil was born in Texas and lived in Washington, Illinois and Kansas before moving to Miami.
Palmetto Middle School • Miami Herald (Miami, Florida)
Sophia speaks English and German, is learning Spanish and French, and knows some words in Czech and Japanese.
#46 SOPHIA JOLIE SCHOENROCK
13 years old • 8th grade
Marco Island Charter Middle School • Collier County Public Schools (Naples, Florida)
Autographs
Aiden was born on New Year’s Eve, so his birthday is celebrated every year all around the world.
#47 AIDEN WESTOVER
14 years old • 8th grade
Odyssey Middle School • Foundation For Orange County Public Schools (Orlando, Florida)
With perfect pitch and strong memory, Louis can recognize a song long after hearing it, even in a different key.
#48 LOUIS AVETIS
12 years old • 7th grade
Discovery Middle School • Foundation For Orange County Public Schools (Orlando, Florida)
Diego has read the Harry Potter series
#49 DIEGO GALLEGOS
5th grade
MOKSH MARU
5th grade
7th grade
6th grade
#50
#51 VLADA KOZHEVNIKOVA
#52 CECILY DEAN
Meet the Spellers
Sarv enjoys folding origami and has decided he will fold 1,000 paper cranes.
#53 SARV SHAILESH DHARAVANE
11 years old • 5th grade
Austin Elementary School • Georgia Association of Educators (Tucker, Georgia)
#54 SARA DAOUD
12 years old • 7th grade
Sara has been to four different schools in two states.
Greenbrier Middle School • Georgia Association of Educators (Tucker, Georgia)
The bottom of Giovanni’s left ear has a unique shape that looks like a tiny heart.
#55 GIOVANNI MANUEL NIATSE ADJEI
11 years old • 7th grade
Christ The King International School • The National Spelling Bee Ghana (Accra, Ghana)
Cyleane and her brother were born on the same day in different years.
#56 CYLEANE EWURA AMA QUANSAH
11 years old • 6th grade
Dodi International School • The National Spelling Bee Ghana (Accra, Ghana)
Autographs
Alleena aspires to pursue a career in law and is a nationally recognized LincolnDouglas debater.
#57 ALLEENA VILLALUZ
14 years old • 8th grade
Saipan International School • Rotary Club of Guam (Hagåtña, Guam)
Kira knows the of pi.
#58 KIRA KEIKO LAU
13 years old • 7th grade
‘Iolani School • Hawaii State Spelling Bee (Honolulu, Hawaii)
#59 SONU MURALI MOHAN
11 years old • 6th grade
Sonu loves playing chess with his dad and others.
Eagle Middle School • SNSB Region One Bee (Boise, Idaho)
#60 ANDREW CHRISTIAN FORD
14 years old • 8th grade
Autographs
Andrew is in the top 5% of swimmers for breaststroke.
Homeschool • Idaho Character Foundation (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)
Meet the Spellers
Gabriel is currently teaching himself to play the piano.
#61 GABRIEL AGUIRRE
11 years old • 5th grade
Homeschool • Idaho Character Foundation (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)
Navtaj likes solving Rubik’s Cubes and once solved one in 13 seconds.
#62 NAVTAJ SINGH
14 years old • 8th grade
Lincoln Middle School • Lewiston Tribune (Lewiston, Idaho)
Autographs
Beatriz can list the title of every “Doctor Who” episode in order.
#63 BEATRIZ LUCILLE WHITFORD-RODRÍGUEZ
14 years old • 8th grade
Skinner North Classical School • Chicago Public Schools (Chicago, Illinois)
Shruthi’s dream home is a cottage in the English countryside.
#64 SHRUTHI AYYAGARI
13 years old • 7th grade
Francis Granger Middle School • DuPage
Katie was the school volleyball captain this season and also plays for Mindset Volleyball Club.
#65 KATIE YUNJIN PARK
14 years old • 8th grade
Saint Andrews Lutheran School • South Cook Intermediate Service Center (Chicago, Illinois)
Alanur was born exactly a century after the Titanic sank.
#66 ALANUR MESCIOGLU
13 years old • 7th grade
Ira Jones Middle School • Will County Regional
#67 BRIGHID
ELIZABETH REID
13 years old • 7th grade
Brighid was given the nickname “Bee” by her elementary school teachers because they struggled to pronounce her name.
Somonauk Middle School • DeKalb Regional
Kavin earned a black belt in tae kwon do at the age of 8.
#68 KAVIN KUMAR SURIYA PRAKASH
14 years old • 8th grade
Dunlap Valley Middle School • SNSB Region
Meet the Spellers
Mason once made a lifesized guitar replica out of cardboard just because he was bored.
#69 MASON COULTHARD
14 years old • 8th grade
Lena - Winslow Junior High School • Carroll/
Education (Freeport, Illinois)
#70 YAHYA ALI MOHAMMED
13 years old • 7th grade
Yahya completely memorized the Quran in 2023.
Larsen Middle School • Kane County
Julia crochets and knits hats for kids with cancer.
#71 JULIA ANN KURIEN
14 years old • 8th grade
(Loves Park, Illinois)
Tyler wants to be an astronomical engineer and work for grows up.
#72 TYLER ROBERT KOCHANSKI
14 years old • 8th grade
Saints Peter & Paul School • McHenry County
Autographs
Arnav’s brain is full of science facts.
#73 ARNAV SHARMA
12 years old • 6th grade Murphy Junior High School • Grundy/Kendall (Morris, Illinois)
#74 PARKER STONE ZIMMERLY
14 years old • 8th grade Amboy Junior High School •
Parker learned how to speak Norwegian and hopes to visit Norway someday.
Autographs
#75 VISHARAD
VIDHYA SATHISH
Visharad can solve a Rubik’s Cube in under a minute.
#76 RAIAN TIMUR
Raian loves learning new facts.
12 years old • Lake Forest Country Day School • Lake County Illinois)
10 years old • 4th grade • SNSB Region Three Bee (Greenwood, Indiana)
Meet the Spellers
Owen’s favorite book is “The Strange Case of Origami Yoda” by Tom Angleberger.
#77 OWEN SHIREY
13 years old • 8th grade
Holy Spirit School • IU School of Education Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Sharanya is a K-pop and K-drama fan, and she recently went concert to see (G)I-DLE.
#78 SHARANYA KAR
12 years old • 7th grade
West Lafayette Junior Senior High School • LARA Educational Opportunities, Inc. (Lafayette, Indiana)
Autographs
word was blue because of his love of blueberries.
#79 VISHVA BHARATH
13 years old • 8th grade
Liberty Middle School • St. John’s Lutheran Church (La Porte, Indiana)
Leo has turophobia, the fear of cheese.
#80 LEO FURLONG
12 years old • 6th grade
Burris Laboratory School • Ball State University - WIPB-TV (Muncie, Indiana)
Lindsey enjoys creating balloon animals.
#81 LINDSEY GRACE JESSEN
13 years old • 8th grade
Marion Home School Assistance Program • The Dispatch Argus (Davenport, Iowa)
Adele placed third in the Adel tournament at the 2024 World Boardgaming Championships.
#82 ADELE GIBBENS
14 years old • 8th grade
Indian Trail Middle School • Olathe Public Schools (Olathe, Kansas)
Samuel authored his own science and math dictionaries just for fun.
#83 SAMUEL WESLEY RILEY
13 years old • 7th grade
Andover Middle School • Kansas Press Association (Topeka, Kansas)
#84 JOSEPHINE FRIMPONG
13 years old • 8th grade
Josephine has been playing years.
Edythe J. Hayes Middle School • University of Kentucky - College of Education (Lexington, Kentucky)
Meet the Spellers
Zachary coaches his younger sister in academic competitions.
#85 ZACHARY LUKE MILALLOS RARA
14 years old • 8th grade
Meyzeek Middle School • Louisville Free Public Library (Louisville, Kentucky)
George helped his school’s Animal Club by raising over $1,000 to fund a community event and support a local shelter.
#86 GEORGE WEGHORST
12 years old • 7th grade
Highlands Middle School • WCPO 9 (Newport, Kentucky)
the entire Harry Potter series in under one month.
#87 MALEK MOHAMMED YOUSSRI
13 years old • 8th grade
Oxford Academy • Gulf University for Science & Technology (Mubarak Al-Abdullah, Kuwait)
Naqeeb is curious about geography and cultures from different parts of the world.
#88 NAQEEB MOHAMMAD HOSSAIN
12 years old • 6th grade
Glasgow Middle School • LSU - University Laboratory School (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
Autographs
#89 CAROLINE ROSE ANDRUS
14 years old • 8th grade
Caroline placed third in recyclable art at the Louisiana Beta Convention and went to the National Beta Convention.
#90 JAMES MITCHELL GRANGER
12 years old • 6th grade
Our Lady of Fatima School • Kiwanis Club of Lafayette & Arcadiana (Lafayette, Louisiana) brothers.
Pinewood Elementary School • SagamoreHill Broadcasting of Lake Charles (Lake Charles, Louisiana)
Leya attends a French immersion school.
#91 LEYA RUHI ISMAIL
10 years old • 4th grade
Ecole Bilingue de la Nouvelle-Orléans • New Orleans Chapter of The Links (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Autographs
Chidu likes to play the piano.
#92 CHIDU ANUMELE
14 years old • 8th grade
Saint Frederick High School • Louisiana State University Shreveport (Shreveport, Louisiana)
Meet the Spellers
#93 ESME FILIPPO
13 years old • 7th grade
Esme hosts a radio show at her local community station.
The Bay School • Portland Press Herald/ Maine Sunday Telegram (Portland, Maine)
Quint has played soccer since he was 4 years old, and his dad has been his coach for his entire career.
#94 QUINT MARKUS KARLSSON
13 years old • 7th grade
Crofton Middle School • Anne Arundel County Public Schools (Annapolis, Maryland)
Autographs
Bindi aspires to be the scientist at NASA who is also a YouTuber.
#95 AMELIA SISIRA RAY
11 years old • 5th grade
Riderwood Elementary School • Maryland Sports (Baltimore, Maryland)
#96 LAUREN A. MERILLANA
13 years old • 7th grade
Lauren read over a hundred novels last year.
Robert Frost Middle School • The Meakem Group (Bethesda, Maryland)
Luke collects currencies from around the world.
#97 LUKE ALEXANDER NOBLEZADA
13 years old • 7th grade
Burleigh Manor Middle School • Howard County Library (Columbia, Maryland)
Of all his sports honors, Arya is proudest of his MVP award in cricket.
#98 ARYA MARUTI BHAVANSIKAR
13 years old • 8th grade
Windsor Knolls Middle School • Frederick County Public Libraries (Frederick, Maryland)
Aruuke once cosplayed as Red Fish from the Dr. Seuss book, “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.”
#99 ARUUKE RAYEVA
12 years old • 7th grade
Archbishop Neale School • Charles County Public Schools (La Plata, Maryland)
Megan was born in the Philippines, a beautiful country rich in culture, history and natural wonders.
#100 MEGAN JILIENNE DIAZ BARRIENTOS
13 years old • 7th grade
Wicomico Middle School • University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Princess Anne, Maryland)
Meet the Spellers
F U n F FA C t
Sapna introduced Congresswoman Ayanna Presley and Governor Maura Healey during a Discovering Justice gala.
#101 SAPNA MALHOTRA
14 years old • 8th grade
John Eliot K-8 Innovation School • Boston Centers for Youth & Families (Boston, Massachusetts)
#102 ADARSH VENKANNAGARI
11 years old • 6th grade
Adarsh has read the whole Harry Potter series eight times and “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” by J.K. Rowling 14 times.
Gates Elementary School • The Daily Item (Lynn, Massachusetts)
F U n F FA C t
Juliet has a deer blind set up in her backyard to check out local wildlife.
#103 JULIET MERRILL
11 years old • 5th grade
The Edgartown School • The Martha’s Vineyard Times (Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts)
Ainsley loves to wear mismatched socks.
#104 AINSLEY GASTMEIER
14 years old • 8th grade
Trinity Lutheran School • Macomb Intermediate School District (Clinton Township, Michigan)
Autographs
Divya is currently working on a robotics project for the NASA Artemis III mission.
#105 DIVYA CHOUDHARY
11 years old • 6th grade
Canton Charter Academy • WXYZ Channel 7 (Detroit, Michigan)
#106 ELLIOTT MAE COVELLE
14 years old • 8th grade
Elliott has read “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” by J.K. Rowling 33 times.
Northern Hills Middle School • Kent Intermediate School District (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
#107 JOSIAH BROR LOEHRKE
11 years old • 5th grade
El Sol Dual Language School • Kalamazoo Experiential Learning Center (Kalamazoo, Michigan)
Josiah’s family is a foster family, and last year, they adopted Josiah’s brother, Kevon.
Autographs
Zander wants to go to an Ivy League school to become an engineer.
#108 ZANDER RAY MYERS
11 years old • 5th grade
Murphy Elementary School • The County Press (Lapeer, Michigan)
Meet the Spellers
Last year, Eliza spotted 133 species of birds across several states.
#109 ELIZA SCHWASS
14 years old • 8th grade
Oliver J. Dejonge Middle School • West Shore Educational Service District (Ludington, Michigan)
Ishika likes to utilize her fashion sense and get all dressed up.
#110 ISHIKA DIRISALA
12 years old • 6th grade
Upton Middle School • The Herald-Palladium (St. Joseph, Michigan)
Autographs
Minna is learning Swedish and plans to attend part of high school in Sweden.
#111 MINNA DAY DANZIGER
12 years old • 6th grade
Leland Public School • Traverse City RecordEagle (Traverse City, Michigan)
Sanvi has copiloted an airplane.
#112 SANVI VISHAL MANDVEKAR
13 years old • 8th grade
Larson Middle School • Oakland Schools Education Foundation (Waterford, Michigan)
#113 CARTER AIDEN PETERSON
14 years old • 8th grade
Carter wants to be a welder or a software engineer when he grows up.
Ellis Middle School • The Minnesota Service Cooperatives (Austin, Minnesota)
Gemma enjoys collecting things like Lego bricks, rocks and souvenirs.
#114 GEMMA CHOI KIM
14 years old • 8th grade
Ordean East Middle School • The Minnesota Service Cooperatives (Duluth, Minnesota)
Jaden has perfect pitch and can name any note when he hears it with up to six notes simultaneously.
#115 JADEN GABRIEL GO
14 years old • 8th grade
Sacred Heart School • The Minnesota Service Cooperatives (East Grand Forks, Minnesota)
Eli can play three instruments: bass, French horn and piano.
#116 ELI SCHLOSSER
12 years old • 6th grade
Kennedy Secondary School • The Minnesota Service Cooperatives (Fergus Falls, Minnesota)
Meet the Spellers
Charles plays four instruments: trombone, vibraphone, bass drum and marimba.
#117 CHARLES MUELLER-THOMPSON
14 years old • 8th grade
Marshall Middle School • The Minnesota Service Cooperatives (Marshall, Minnesota)
Wade frequently works on random hobbies like saying words backwards.
#118 WADE ALASDAIR SALVEY
11 years old • 5th grade
Scenic Heights Elementary School • The Minnesota Service Cooperatives (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
One of Emmaline’s favorite foods is chicken fried rice, and she orders it at every restaurant to
#119 EMMALINE KENNEDY BUSHMAN
14 years old • 8th grade
Saint John’s Preparatory School • The Minnesota Service Cooperatives (St. Cloud, Minnesota)
Anya started dancing when she was in second grade and now dances as part of the Mankato Ballet Performing Ensemble.
#120 ANYA GRACE STOLL
13 years old • 8th grade
Saint Peter Lutheran School • The Minnesota Service Cooperatives (St. Peter, Minnesota)
Autographs
Josslyn has a zebra passion stemming from the pattern of her favorite blanket, which was preserved into a tie blanket.
#121 JOSSLYN HANSEN
13 years old • 7th grade
Wadena-Deer Creek High School • The Minnesota Service Cooperatives (Wadena, Minnesota)
Sagan plays the violin, keyboard, xylophone, marimba, snare drum, bass drum and accessory percussion.
#122 SAGAN KARTHIKEYAN
13 years old • 8th grade
Oxford Middle School • C Spire Foundation (Ridgeland, Mississippi)
Autographs
Yuva always comes up with a funny way to remember a by connecting it to his sister, Riddhi.
#123 YUVAKARTHIK PEDDIREDDY
14 years old • 8th grade
Madison Middle School • C Spire Foundation (Ridgeland, Mississippi)
Ananya has been doing tae kwon do for six years and is a second-degree black belt.
#124 ANANYA AGGARWAL
12 years old • 7th grade
Columbia Independent Upper School • Columbia Missourian (Columbia, Missouri)
Meet the Spellers
#125 BECKETT CLAIRE GRIFFIN
11 years old • 5th grade
Beckett, who believes everyone is unique and beautiful, has won her school’s kindness award for three years in a row.
Will would like to be an astronaut when he grows up.
#126 WILLIAM WALLACE HENLEY
12 years old • 6th grade
Underwood Elementary School • Mid-Continent Public Library (Independence, Missouri)
Pleasant Hill Intermediate School • RaymorePeculiar School District (Peculiar, Missouri)
Autographs
Scott can tell you all of the nations continent.
#127 SCOTT TINGLE
14 years old • 8th grade
Senath - Hornersville Middle School • Three Rivers College (Poplar Bluff, Missouri)
Kunal likes to play chess.
#128 KUNAL PATEL
12 years old • 7th grade
Branson Junior High School • A.C.E.S. (Rolla, Missouri)
#129 NATALIE MAE LINTHICUM
14 years old • 8th grade
Natalie loves to do hair.
Khusi has been on North America’s second-tallest water slide, which rises to 135 feet.
#130 KHUSHBU DAHAL
11 years old • 5th grade
Academy Of The Sacred Heart • Saint Louis University (St. Louis, Missouri)
North Daviess R-III School • Mosaic Life Care Foundation (St. Joseph, Missouri)
Ruby loves to experiment with her own cooking ideas.
#131 RUBY RUOHAN WANG
11 years old • 5th grade
Saint Joseph Catholic Elementary School • Montana Television Network (Bozeman, Montana)
When Rian was 4 years old, he could identify car models from far away.
#132 RIAN CAMTY
14 years old • 8th grade
Millard North Middle School • Omaha Sports Commission (Omaha, Nebraska)
Meet the Spellers
Priya is a beginner cosplayer and likes cosplaying characters from her favorite shows and books.
#133 PRIYA SHETTY KONDURU
13 years old • 7th grade
Davidson Academy Of Nevada • The Public Education Foundation (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Audrey’s favorite place is Disneyland, and she will talk your ear off about Disney history if you will listen.
#134 AUDREY ROSE WARE
13 years old • 8th grade
Saint Francis De Sales School • The Public Education Foundation (Las Vegas, Nevada)
#135 ARPITH GEORGE MISHRA
14 years old • 8th grade
Arpith’s favorite genre of both movies and books is
Harini has been learning Carnatic music, an Indian classical style, since she was 6.
#136 HARINI MURALI
13 years old • 8th grade
Woodrow Wilson Middle School • SNSB Region Three Bee (Edison, New Jersey)
World Academy • New Hampshire Union Leader (Manchester, New Hampshire)
Autographs
Eli has memorized the of the Harry Potter series by
#137 ELI CONNOR NEIBART
14 years old
featured by The the Climate Crisis.”
#138 ISHAAN GUPTA
11 years old
Autographs
#139 DANIEL ROTEM
13 years old
#140 KEITH LEE
13 years
Keith has past year.
Meet the Spellers
Krrisha is
Autographs
#141 KRRISHA AGRAWAL
#142 SHARON HWANG
#143 CORA ELLE MASSARO
#144 BRIAN LIU
Reed runs cross country and plays saxophone and piano.
#145 REED LAURSEN
13 years old • 8th grade
Red Jacket Middle School • Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES (Newark, New York)
Izzy has seen the movie “Mean Girls” eight times.
#146 ISABELLA SOLEDAD CANADA
14 years old • 8th grade
The Dalton School • NYC Department of Education (New York, New York)
#147 JAY NAYAK
10 years old • 5th grade
Jay is an avid singer and has performed in professional productions of operas.
Hunter College Elementary School • NYC Department of Education (New York, New York)
Until the age of 6, Margot only wore red clothes.
#148 MARGOT FIENI
13 years old • 8th grade
Oneonta Middle School • The Daily Star (Oneonta, New York)
Meet the Spellers
Last summer, Leah went on a 26-mile bike ride through the Adirondack Park.
#149 LEAH MARIE RINI
13 years old • 8th grade
Beekmantown Middle School • Champlain Valley Educational Services (Plattsburgh, New York)
Olivia plays both volleyball and lacrosse and loves being part of a team.
#150 OLIVIA LIPIEC
14 years old • 8th grade
Accompsett Middle School • SNSB Region Four Bee (Smithtown, New York)
Simran plays AAU and school basketball and runs cross country and track.
#151 SIMRAN SANDERS
14 years old • 8th grade
Jamesville-Dewitt Middle School • The PostStandard | syracuse.com (Syracuse, New York)
Micah is a goalkeeper in soccer who plays on club, travel and Olympic development teams.
#152 MICAH STERLING
12 years old • 7th grade
General Brown Junior-Senior High School • Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, New York)
Autographs
Amazing-Grace likes making crafts and custom-made cards using locally sourced materials for others.
#153 AMAZING-GRACE AHUOYIZA EBIEBI SALAMI
12 years old • 6th grade
Greenpath Preparatory School • Spellingbee In Nigeria (Lagos, Nigeria)
#154 SACH SARVESH AKELLA
12 years old • 6th grade
Sach likes making and reading maps of neighborhoods, cities and counties.
Mills Park Middle School • Carolina Panthers (Charlotte, North Carolina)
#155 HOLDEN CONNOR GOOD
13 years old • 7th grade
Holden learned to scuba dive two summers ago in Grand Cayman and earned his PADI Junior Scuba
Moore Square Magnet Middle School • Carolina Panthers (Charlotte, North Carolina)
#156 AISHWARYA KALLAKURI
14 years old • 8th grade
Autographs
Aishwarya is really interested in psychology theory, especially the work of Carl Jung.
Valor Preparatory Academy • Carolina Panthers (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Meet the Spellers
#157 KUSHI GOTTIMUKKALA
12 years old • 6th grade
Last summer, Kushi got to shadow some microbiologists at work, which inspired her to become one herself someday.
Carnage G&T Magnet Middle School • Carolina Panthers (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Johannes’ latest innovative recipe is homemade strawberry ice cream with chili crisp shortbread crumbles, white chocolate and freeze-dried strawberries.
#158 JOHANNES KENZO ROXBURGH
14 years old • 8th grade
Voyager Academy Middle School • Duke Affairs (Durham, North Carolina)
Autographs
Zachary likes to eat insects, and some of his favorites are giant water bugs and crickets.
#159 ZACHARY JEFFERSON THURNHER
14 years old • 8th grade
Seventy-First Classical Middle School • Cumberland County Schools (Fayetteville, North Carolina)
Antonella loves redesigning “My Little Pony” characters as well as designing clothing based on the ponies.
#160 ANTONELLA MARIE GUZMAN-VAZQUEZ
13 years old • 7th grade
Highland Middle School • Harnett County Schools (Lillington, North Carolina)
Swayzee doesn’t go anywhere without her stuffed mouse and good luck charm, Mouse, who she’s had since she was one year old.
#161 SWAYZEE BROWN
13 years old • 8th grade
Southside Christian School • Johnston County
#162 CHILAKA TIMOTHY UGOBI
13 years old • 7th grade
Chilaka was born in the United States, his siblings were born in Canada and his parents Canadian.
Our Redeemers Christian School • Association of County Superintendents
Zach is going to see a “Weird Al” Yankovic concert later this year.
#163 ZACHARY YEAGER
14 years old • 8th grade
Chippewa Junior/Senior High School •
#164 JOSEPH ANDREW KEFFER
10 years old • 5th grade
Joseph’s favorite musician is “Weird Al” Yankovic.
Chesapeake Middle School • Ohio University
Meet the Spellers
Blaze was born on the 45th parallel, the circle of latitude 45 degrees north of the equator.
#165 BLAZE BLACKETER
14 years old • 8th grade
Oakwood Middle School • The Repository (Canton, Ohio)
Rujva plays competitive volleyball, and it is her favorite team sport.
#166 RUJVA PATEL
12 years old • 6th grade
Cherokee Elementary School • WCPO 9 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Avinav has performed an electric violin solo with Emmy award-winning composer Mark Wood.
#167 AVINAV PREM ANAND
14 years old • 8th grade
Orange Middle School • Columbus Blue Jackets (Columbus, Ohio)
Sebastian plays alto saxophone, piano and clarinet.
#168 SEBASTIAN GIL
13 years old • 7th grade
Memorial Middle School • ESC of the Western Reserve (Concord Township, Ohio)
Autographs
#169 AURORA OTTILIE SPISAK
14 years old • 8th grade
Aurora has been to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, three times, and she is signed up for a fourth time this summer.
Hadley E. Watts Middle School • Wright State University (Dayton, Ohio)
both speaking and reading Icelandic.
#170 HIROMICHI MAGNUS BERNHARDSSON
13 years old • 7th grade
Langston Middle School • Educational Service Center of Lorain County (Elyria, Ohio)
Jason can solve version of the 3x3 Rubik’s Cube, known as a windmill cube, in under three minutes.
#171 JASON CHUKWUMAEZE
10 years old • 5th grade
Shawnee Middle School • The Lima News (Lima, Ohio)
Autographs
Maureen is a competitive
#172 MAUREEN LEIGH MOSER BONE
12 years old • 7th grade
Beaver Local Middle School • East Liverpool Review, Salem News & The Morning Journal (Lisbon, Ohio)
Meet the Spellers
Aadhya is very musical and enjoys singing, dancing and playing violin and piano.
#173 AADHYA ADHIKARI
9 years old • 4th grade
Veritas Classical Academy • The Marietta Times (Marietta, Ohio)
Brett is left-handed.
#174 BRETT KUPROWICZ
14 years old • 8th grade
Bridgeport Middle School • The Times Leader (Martins Ferry, Ohio)
Autographs
Kaden has three younger brothers and a pet dog named Bumble, who he rescued from the humane society.
#175 KADEN HADDOX
12 years old • 6th grade
Indian Creek Middle School • The Herald-Star (Steubenville, Ohio)
Kendall is in an honor band at a nearby college, and she plays in pep band for her high school’s basketball games.
#176 KENDALL JO MEHL
13 years old • 7th grade
Otsego Junior High School • The Blade (Toledo, Ohio)
Daniela Lucia has been in over 15 theater productions.
#177 DANIELA LUCIA PAPPALARDO
13 years old • 7th grade •
Television (Youngstown, Ohio)
#178 ANNIKA DARLENE HUANG
Annika was born in Indonesia and raised in the United
13 years old • 8th grade • Oklahoma City Community College (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
William helps care for his family’s two goats.
#179 WILLIAM WILBERFORCE FULLER
12 years old • 7th grade
Fuller Family Homeschool • 2 News Oklahoma (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
proud of his cooking and baking prowess.
#180 VITTAL KRISHNAMURTHY
13 years old • 8th grade
Meet the Spellers
#181 DISHA JAIN
14 years old • 8th grade
Disha loves working with different materials to build things from scratch, whether decor or practical home projects.
Akshaj has recently started collecting different currencies and has collected money from over 10 countries already.
#182 AKSHAJ SOMISETTY
13 years old • 8th grade
Owen J. Roberts Middle School • Chester County Intermediate Unit (Downingtown, Pennsylvania)
Mountain View Middle School • Pennon Education (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
#183 MARIA
Maia is ambidextrous.
ELIZABETH MATHAI
12 years old • 6th grade
Keith Valley Middle School • Pennsylvania State Education Association and Council for the Advancement of Public Schools (Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania)
Autographs
Joey loves solving sudoku puzzles as well as Wordle, Quordle, and Octordle.
#184 JYOTHSANA ANANDH
12 years old • 7th grade
Garnet Valley Middle School • Delaware County Intermediate Unit (Morton, Pennsylvania)
Isaac loves music and plays the trumpet in his school band.
#185 ISAAC WONDI GEREMEW
13 years old • 7th grade
William Davies Middle School • WHYY (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Jayden can do bird whistles.
#186 JAYDEN JIANG
11 years old • 5th grade
Girard Academic Music Program • WHYY (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
#187 JANE ROSS
14 years old • 8th grade
Jane started crocheting two years ago and has since made hats, scarves, ponchos, headbands and a few blankets.
Hampton Middle School • Pittsburgh PostGazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Autographs
Rowena completed a 5K run for Girls on the Run.
#188 ROWENA CRESSWELL-BLICKLEY
13 years old • 7th grade
Blue Mountain Middle School • Schuylkill Technology Center (Pottsville, Pennsylvania)
Meet the Spellers
Anjali is a citizen of both the United States and Canada.
#189 ANJALI AGARWAL
10 years old • 4th grade
Saint Joseph School • Diamond City Sports (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania)
#190 NAIRA RIVAS
13 years old • 7th grade
Saint John’s School •
Naira collects her favorite holographic performer.
Autographs
Elliana danced Street USA in Disney World with her dance Artistry.
#191 ELLIANA PAGLIARINI
12 years old • 6th grade
• The Valley
John can solve the 2x2 and as the Skewb,
#192 JOHN BARNACHEA DONATO
14 years old • 8th grade
• The Post and
#193 CONNOR PATRICK NORTON
13 years old • 7th grade
Connor could say the alphabet forwards and backwards at age 3 but can no longer do so.
#194 AHAAN JAIN
13 years old • 8th grade
Ahaan plays percussion in his middle school band.
Pleasant Knoll Middle School • Carolina Panthers (Fort Mill, South Carolina)
Socastee Middle School • Pee Dee Education Center (Florence, South Carolina)
Miles has been a part of many theater productions, including playing in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”
#195 MILES LITTLE
14 years old • 8th grade
J. G. McCracken Middle School • USC Upstate (Spartanburg, South Carolina)
Kolin loves to play football and basketball and is a big University of South Carolina Gamecocks fan.
#196 KOLIN SCHULER
11 years old • 6th grade
Horse Creek Academy • Carolina Panthers (Warrenville, South Carolina)
Meet the Spellers
Amanuel speaks a little Oromo.
#197 AMANUEL GEMECHIS
14 years old • 8th grade
George S. Mickelson Middle School • South Dakota News Watch (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
Josh plans to set up his own space station on Mars by 2040.
#198 JASHIT VERMA
10 years old • 4th grade
Farmington Elementary School • University of Memphis (Memphis, Tennessee)
Swetank has visited more than 20 countries and likes learning about other cultures.
#199 SWETANK VENKATA BANGARU
11 years old • 5th grade
Towne Acres Elementary School • Tennessee Titans (Nashville, Tennessee)
Vidula has memorized more than 40 digits of pi.
#200 VIDULA KALATHUR
13 years old • 7th grade
Woodland Middle School • Tennessee Titans (Nashville, Tennessee)
Autographs
#201 SARIAH TITUS
12 years old • 7th grade
Sariah is currently learning to speak German.
Wylie West Junior High School • Kiwanis Club of Abilene (Abilene, Texas)
Arnie loves making new friends.
#202 ARNAV PARAT
12 years old • 7th grade
Ascension Academy • Education Credit Union (Amarillo, Texas)
Autographs
#203 THEVAAN PICKY BUTANI
11 years old • 5th grade
Passionate about coding, Thevaan recently expanded his skills by learning AI facial recognition.
Rough Hollow Elementary School • Rain Droplets Foundation (Austin, Texas)
#204 TARINI NANDAKUMAR
14 years old • 8th grade
Tarini loves to bake delicious treats, especially cookies.
James Garland Walsh Middle School • Rain Droplets Foundation (Austin, Texas)
Meet the Spellers
#205 ISAAC GABRIEL CANCIO
14 years old • 8th grade
Isaac can sing like Bruno Mars but dances like a selfdescribed “awkward peacock.”
Marvin P. Baker Middle School • KRIS Communications (Corpus Christi, Texas)
Avishka is a keyboard enthusiast and likes to play original movie soundtracks on her keyboard.
#206 AVISHKA DUDALA
12 years old • 7th grade
Rogers Middle School • Dallas Sports Commission (Dallas, Texas)
Autographs
Faizan can speed-solve a Rubik’s Cube in about 30 seconds.
#207 FAIZAN ZAKI
13 years old • 7th grade
C. M. Rice Middle School • Dallas Sports Commission (Dallas, Texas)
Shreyansh can likely name more species of dinosaurs than most adults.
#208 SHREYANSH ZADOO
14 years old • 8th grade
Van Alstyne Junior High School • Dallas Sports Commission (Dallas, Texas)
#209 ANAYA MAHESH TONDE
10 years old • 4th grade
Anaya is an artist.
Brihasa was in the ClimateScience Olympiad 2024.
#210 BRIHASA VEDURU
12 years old • 7th grade
Mesita Elementary School • EPISD Education Foundation (El Paso, Texas)
#211 NOAH CYRUS CHEN WHITE
10 years old • 4th grade
At 7 years old, Noah went parasailing in Belize and soared over 500 feet in the air.
Keller Middle School • Fort Worth Public Library/ Fort Worth Sports Commission (Fort Worth, Texas)
Sherwood Elementary School • Houston Community College (Houston, Texas)
#212 LUKE DANIEL NGUYEN
14 years old • 8th grade
Luke not only plays with Rubik’s Cubes but also reassembles them.
Brookside Intermediate School • Houston Community College (Houston, Texas)
Meet the Spellers
#213 ZACHARY JI-HSIEN TEOH
8 years old • 2nd grade
F U n F FA C t
Zachary taught himself how to read diacritics at age 6 and hopes to someday be able to pronounce as well as Dr. Jacques Bailly.
River Oaks Elementary School • Houston Community College (Houston, Texas)
#214 ALEJANDRO MARTINEZ
14 years old • 8th grade
Alejandro, his brother and his sister are triplets.
Raul Perales Middle School • Laredo Morning Times (Laredo, Texas)
Michael made it to the state science fair two years in a row.
#215 MICHAEL TESFAYE
14 years old • 8th grade
Christ the King Cathedral School • Ramar Communications (Lubbock, Texas)
Caleb has a 3D printer that he uses to print small toys and puzzles.
#216 CALEB LEVI GIUOCO
14 years old • 8th grade
Edinburg South Middle School • Rio Grande Valley Newspapers - AIM Media Texas (McAllen, Texas)
Autographs
Shreeya and her brother, Shijay, both competed at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2022.
#217 SHREEYA SIVAKUMAR
14 years old • 8th grade
Young Women’s Leadership Academy • Midland Reporter-Telegram (Midland, Texas)
Krish can solve a Rubik’s Cube in under 45 seconds.
#218 KRISH PATEL
14 years old • 8th grade
Nimitz Middle School • Ector County Independent School District (Odessa, Texas)
Jarah has been taking lessons in
though she is still very much a beginner.
#219 JARAH ABARQUEZ
14 years old • 8th grade
Angelo Catholic School • TCP Software (San Angelo, Texas)
Autographs
Siyona is a stylophile, a collector and lover of pens.
#220 SIYONAMITHRA KANDALA
13 years old • 7th grade
Keystone School • BASIS Ed Texas and BASIS Texas Charter Schools, Inc. (San Antonio, Texas)
Meet the Spellers
Chev is now learning how to trade the Forex Market.
#221 CHEV DIONDREI YU BONDOC
12 years old • 6th grade
Howell Middle School • Victoria College (Victoria, Texas)
Autographs
Aarav likes to program and complete obstacles with Lego robots.
#222 AARAV SARGURUNATHAN
13 years old • 8th grade
Wellborn Middle School • Rapoport Holdings, LLC (Waco, Texas)
Evan is interested in anatomy and wants to become a neurosurgeon.
#223 EVAN NIGEL FAHIE
14 years old • 8th grade
Lockhart K - 8 School • The Virgin Islands Daily News (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands)
Sasha has performed in several plays, including an emo version of “Hamlet,” in which she played Laertes.
#224 SASHA KENLON
12 years old • 7th grade
Ecker Hill Middle School • The Park Record (Park City, Utah)
Ashley’s favorite sport is baseball, and her favorite player is Shohei Ohtani.
#225 ASHLEY BRYNER
13 years old • 7th grade
Mont Harmon Middle School • Southeast Education Service Center (Price, Utah)
Roshan has been to the National History Bee and is invited to the International History Bee later this year.
#226 ROSHAN KAUSHIK
13 years old • 7th grade
Challenger School - Traverse Mountain • The City Journals (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Phoenix can ride a unicycle.
#227 PHOENIX NEWELL
13 years old • 7th grade
Riverside School • Vermont Principals Association (Rutland, Vermont)
Layla received the award for Kindness Ambassador of Virginia this year.
#228 LAYLA BARRETT
13 years old • 7th grade
Chatham Middle School • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Danville Area (Danville, Virginia)
Meet the Spellers
Draven loves drawing comics.
#229 DRAVEN WILLIAMS
14 years old • 8th grade
Dixon-Smith Middle School • Central Rappahannock Regional Library (Fredericksburg, Virginia)
Nicholas had the opportunity to see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.
#230 NICHOLAS KOKHAN
13 years old • 7th grade
Montevideo Middle School • Rockingham District Ruritans (Harrisonburg, Virginia)
Viky is not really into soccer, but he is the best goalkeeper at recess.
#231 VIKYATH TANAMALA
10 years old • 5th grade
Seldens Landing Elementary School • Loudoun County Public Schools (Leesburg, Virginia)
#232 VINCENT MINGZE CHU
14 years old • 8th grade
Vincent loves designing make-believe cities inspired by real-life megacities.
George M. Hampton Middle School • InsideNoVa/Prince William (Manassas, Virginia)
Autographs
#233 NIKITA P. RAMAKRISHNAN
14 years old • 8th grade
F U n F FA C t
Nikita is a respected member of both her school’s Model UN team and ambassador group designed to support new students.
Rocky Run Middle School • Fairfax County
#234 NARGIZA MUZHAPAER
14 years old • 8th grade
Nargiza was honored as a Top 300 Thermo Fisher
Innovator for her research on neurological drugs.
Pinnacle Academy • Fairfax County Council PTA
Suhani swam 100+ laps without stopping during a swim-a-thon to raise money for her swim team.
#235 SUHANI JOSHI
13 years old • 7th grade
Hampton Roads Academy • WHRO Public Media
Autographs
Rory is 100% a cat person and visits local libraries to read to shelter cats who need socialization.
#236 RORY MASON GRANT
13 years old • 7th grade
William Byrd Middle School • Radford University
Meet the Spellers
Harper is co-president of the Robious Middle School French Club.
#237 HARPER GRACE COX
14 years old • 8th grade
Robious Middle School • Richmond Raceway (Richmond, Virginia)
Declan’s favorite the doublet (also known as the dimeresia) because he likes grow in twos.
#238 DECLAN MALLADY
12 years old • 6th grade
Snoqualmie Middle School • Town Hall Seattle (Seattle, Washington)
Autographs
#239 CHARVITHA SANJAYA
14 years old • 8th grade
Charvitha is a passionate fan of The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.
John Adams Middle School • Charleston Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia)
Nirav plays in his school band and enjoys the marching band season.
#240 NIRAV NIMBARTE
12 years old • 7th grade
Mountaineer Middle School • The Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram (Clarksburg, West Virginia)
Autographs
F U n F FA C t
Being very interested in geography, Ethan could name all the countries and capitals when he was 3 years old.
#241 ETHAN ROBERT
12 years old • 7th grade
New Berlin Eisenhower Middle/High School • Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wisconsin)
Jacob is the youngest member of the Fox Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra.
#243 ELIJAH JAMES JERNIGAN
14 years old • 8th grade
F U n F FA C t F U n F FA C t
Eli has read the entire Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick times over!
#242 JACOB MARTONITO
12 years old • 6th grade
Classical Charter School • Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wisconsin)
Kemmerer Junior Senior High School • Sweetwater County BOCES (Rock Springs, Wyoming)
Meet the Officials and Word Panelists
DR. JACQUES BAILLY
Head pronouncer
MARY BROOKS
Head judge
DR. BRIAN SIETSEMA
Head associate pronouncer
speller guide
Meet the Spellers
Meet the Officials and Word Panelists
Officials and word panelists perform various roles throughout the year, including as judges, record keepers, pronouncers and content creators and reviewers.
