CINCINNATI — More spellers than ever are converging on the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee in National Harbor, Maryland, May 26-31. A total of 565 participants will compete for the largest cash prize in Bee history.
The numbers tell the story:
271 spellers from sponsored regions.
294 spellers through RSVBee, the invitational program launched by the Bee in 2017 to provide more opportunities for students to compete in the national finals.
$50,000 cash prize for the Champion.
An estimated 11 million students in the Bee’s program from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Department of Defense Schools in Europe.
Seven additional participating countries — the Bahamas, Canada, Germany, Ghana, Jamaica, Japan and South Korea.
The spellers range in age from 7 to 15. There are nine sets of siblings competing, including two sets of twins – one identical. A total of 163 spellers have previous experience competing in the national finals.
