The Scripps National Spelling Bee kicks off in earnest Tuesday with kids from around the world stepping up to the mic for the preliminary rounds.
Nearly 250 spellers, ages 9 to 15, will tackle some of the hardest words in the dictionary, and 2026 comes with some big changes that even the most veteran spellers can get excited about.
After spending 15 years in Maryland, the competition is moving back to the nation’s capital.
“We always wanted to get back to DC just to have that rich experience for our spellers, to be able to integrate into the city and see all those monuments and museums firsthand. So we're really excited about how much this can enrich the experience,” explained Corrie Loeffler, the Executive Director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee
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Officials considered proposals from across the country, but Loeffler says they wanted to get the Bee back to its roots.
The new home at Constitution Hall will put spellers and their families in the heart of Washington D.C.
“They've used it as a double for the White House and films and TV. Can you imagine being a 12-year-old kid walking up those steps, seeing those gorgeous pillars and being like, ‘This is my stage. This is for me.’ It's just going to make these kids see themselves in a whole new light,” said Loeffler
But that’s not the only big change. There’s also a new host of the Bee – ESPN's Mina Kimes.
Kimes competed in spelling bees as a kid but admits her skills were nowhere near the caliber of the kids on the national stage. But she’s excited to jump back into that world, and she said the talent and poise these expert spellers demonstrate is awe-inspiring.
“The competitive spirit and the calm they bring. I mean, that's what, probably what amazes me the most, right? We're talking about kids, 11, 12, 13, 14, who are like ice cold on the stage, and I think that's so similar to elite athletes, and there's a lot of parallels between the two,” Kimes said.
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The competition kicks off Tuesday morning, with all 247 spellers taking the big stage. The finals happen Thursday night live on ION starting at 8 p.m. ET.
