It’s something that has become more and more rare: being able to spell complex words correctly.
But nearly 250 students from all over the country, and from five other countries, have swarmed to the nation’s capital to put their spelling expertise to the test.
This week marks the Scripps National Spelling Bee and after 15 years in nearby Maryland, the competition has returned to Washington, D.C.
It is being held in Constitution Hall this year, The Associated Press reported.
The first spelling bee was held in 1925 by the Louisville Courier-Journal, which invited other newspapers to host competitions and then send their champions to Washington, D.C.
While it should be celebrating its 101st event, it is only the 98th spelling bee after it was canceled in 1943, 1944 and 1945 due to World War II and then in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But don’t think that this year’s winner will be the 98th student to earn the best speller title.
They will be the 111th because of several ties, including an eight-way tie in 2019, the AP reported.
The finals will air on Thursday night.
How do competitors make the cut?
First, they have to make it through regional spelling bees. They also may not be older than 15 or higher than eighth grade.
Then they have to compete in two preliminary rounds where they are quizzed on a list of words they’ve been given before the event. One is a spelling round, the other is a multiple-choice vocabulary round.
Then, if they pass that, they go to a written spelling and vocabulary test, with the 100 or so top spellers getting a ticket to the quarter-finals.
That’s where they have to stand in front of a microphone and spell out the words or answer vocabulary questions.
The finals will see about a dozen students whittled down to the final two, who will compete in a “spell-off” to determine the winner.
What are the prizes?
Being able to spell correctly will mean a nice payday for the finalists.
The champion will get $52,500, reference books from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, a trophy, medal and a $1,000 Delta Air Lines flight credit.
Sixth place will get $2,500; fifth, $5,000; fourth, $10,000; third, $15,000 and second $25,000.
All other finalists will get $2,000.
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