TOWSON, MD—A fifth-grader from Riderwood Elementary School has won the Maryland Regional Spelling Bee and will now compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Amelia “Bindi” Ray won first place at the regional competition, which was held virtually, with a near-perfect score of 34 out of 35 points. One of two Riderwood competitors, Ray participated in the Maryland Sports Commission’s Maryland Regional Bee. The regional competition featured a 40-minute timed computerized spelling and vocabulary test.
Ray will now advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which will be held on May 27, 28, and 29, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, MD.
“The words I’m studying are very challenging, but I am very excited for this great opportunity,” Ray said.
Ray’s journey to the national competition began with a spelling bee club at Riderwood Elementary School, funded by the school’s PTA and hosted by teacher Jennifer Buchman during fifth-grade lunch periods.
Buchman described Ray as an outstanding student passionate about reading, science, and learning. “She is curious about the natural world, how things work, and demonstrates this curiosity by always letting her interests lead her into excellence in all we do in school and outside of school,” Buchman said.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. ION and other Scripps networks will broadcast the competition live with streaming availability. The finals broadcast schedule will be available online starting Thursday, May 1.
This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.
Photo via BCPS
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