click to enlarge Photo: Mark Bowen/Scripps National Spelling Bee
Scripps National Spelling Bee
The annual
Scripps National Spelling Bee allows students from across the country to flex their vocabulary muscles and compete for major cash prizes, medals, and more. This year, one student will represent Pittsburgh at the competition.
Fifth-grader Jane Ross, 11, of Central Elementary School in Allison Park will compete at the Bee. A Scripps bio for Ross says she was sponsored by the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and that she enjoys writing stories, drawing, and playing outside with her sister.
Ross will join over 230 other spellers when the Bee returns for its first in-person event since 2019.
click to enlarge Photo: Courtesy of Scripps National Spelling Bee
Scripps National Spelling Bee contestant Jane Ross
The Bee begins on Mon., May 30 with an opening ceremony at the
Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. The preliminary rounds will take place on Tue., May 31, followed by the quarter and semifinals on Wed., June 1, and the finals on Thu., June 2.
In 2021, the world was charmed by
Zaila Avant-Garde, who won the Bee when it took place in New Orleans. The competition will get a boost this year by host LeVar Burton, the actor and former face of
Reading Rainbow who has been regarded as a vocal advocate for literacy and education.
For the first time, the Bee will stream live and for free on the ION Plus and Bounce XL channels, two apps available on smart televisions, and through other free apps like Roku and Pluto TV.
“The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a beloved American treasure enjoyed by generations of participants and viewers annually," says Scripps president and CEO Adam Symson in a press release. "The time is right to bring the iconic competition back to broadcast television, the media platform accessible for free to nearly every American viewer across the country. As the Bee’s viewership expands through the diverse and fast-growing audiences of ION and Bounce, it is better positioned to connect with the next generation of spellers watching along.”
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