Young Spellers Return to Nation's Capital for Historic Competition

Competition Returns to Washington After 15 Years

The 98th Scripps National Spelling Bee has made a triumphant return to Washington, D.C., trading its longtime home in suburban Maryland for the prestigious Constitution Hall, just blocks from the White House. After a long run at a convention center in suburban Maryland, the bee returns to the nation's capital this year at Constitution Hall, a few blocks from the White House. This homecoming marks a significant milestone for the century-old competition that began when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited newspapers across the country to send their champions to the nation's capital in 1925.

This year's bee has 247 spellers representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories and five other countries: The Bahamas, Canada, Ghana, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates. The three-day competition began Tuesday and will conclude Thursday evening with the crowning of the 111th champion. While this is only the 98th bee due to cancellations during World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic, They will be the 111th because of several ties, including an eight-way tie in 2019 .

Star Contestants and Fierce Competition

Among the field of talented young spellers, several standout competitors have emerged as favorites. The top returning finisher from 2025 is Sarv Dharavane of Dunwoody, Georgia, who finished third last year as an 11-year-old fifth-grader. Despite his youth, Dharavane has two years of eligibility remaining, giving him multiple chances to claim the championship.

Another formidable competitor is Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Rancho Cucamonga, California, who finished third in 2024. Parikh has dominated the spelling circuit over the past year, "winning the South Asian Spelling Bee, the SpellPundit National Spelling Bee and the Words of Wisdom Spelling Bee." His impressive track record makes him a serious contender for this year's title.

The competition has also welcomed a new television host this year: ESPN NFL analyst and recent "Celebrity Jeopardy!" champion Mina Kimes has joined the bee as its television host. This change brings fresh energy to the broadcast while maintaining the bee's tradition of excellence.

Rigorous Path to Victory

The journey to spelling bee glory requires navigating an increasingly challenging series of rounds. Contestants must get through two preliminary rounds, where they are quizzed on words from a list provided in advance. This includes both a spelling round and a multiple-choice vocabulary round, testing competitors' comprehensive understanding of the English language.

Those who survive the preliminaries face an even greater challenge: a written spelling and vocabulary test, with the top 100 or so finishers advancing to the quarterfinals. The words for the test, and for all subsequent rounds, are taken from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged dictionary. From there, approximately a dozen spellers advance to the finals, where the pressure reaches its peak.

Legacy and Future of Academic Excellence

The return to Washington symbolizes more than just a venue change—it represents the enduring importance of academic achievement and linguistic excellence in American culture. This year, 247 spellers from across the United States, its territories and five other nations will compete for the Scripps Cup and a $50,000 cash prize. The substantial prize money reflects the growing recognition of these young scholars' extraordinary talents.

As the competition continues to evolve, it maintains its core mission of celebrating the power of language and learning. The bee's ability to attract international participants demonstrates how spelling excellence transcends borders, creating a global community of young linguists. With its return to the nation's capital, the Scripps National Spelling Bee reaffirms its position as America's premier academic competition, inspiring future generations to embrace the beauty and complexity of the English language.