CINCINNATI — Spelling bee season is here!
Winners from Saturday's regional competition at the Cincinnati Public Schools' Education Center will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee later this year.
Ohio spellers competed Saturday morning, while spellers from Indiana and Kentucky competed throughout the afternoon.
During Saturday's competition, seventh grader Emily Castilla secured her spot for the bee with the correct spelling of the word "kiloton."
"I'm just so excited to have this opportunity because I really did not think I'd be winning today but I was able to win," she said.
Castilla said she competed the last two years and didn't win the regional bee, but she had "a lot of confidence" this year instilled by her family. Her brother was also the Ohio regional winner five years ago and placed 30th in the national competition.
Castilla said her goal for the National Bee to "do the best she can."
Aarya Mehendale, an 8th grader, clinched his spot by winning out of the Indiana and Kentucky contestants. He won by correctly spelling the word "marionette."
The 12-year-old had competed in the regional bee prior, but he won it in his last year of eligibility.
"It feels great. After all these years I finally won it," Mehendale said.
He said his goal at the national bee is "to win it."
The 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee will take place on Thursday, May 30. More than 200 spellers across the country will travel to the Washington D.C. area for a chance to compete in the competition, which will be hosted at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.
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