Reading & Literacy Photos

Drama and Delight: The Faces of the National Spelling Bee

By Jaclyn Borowski — May 31, 2024 1 min read
Shrey Parikh, 12, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., reacts to a fellow competitor's word during the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., on May 30, 2024.
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The 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee came down to a high-stakes spell-off, where the final two contestants had 90 seconds to spell as many of the announced words as possible. Ultimately, Bruhat Soma, a 12-year-old from Tampa, Fla., came away the winner. Here, a look at the faces behind the event.

Audience members hold signs before the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., on May 30, 2024.
Kirsten Tiffany Santos, 13, of Richmond, Texas, left, high-fives Shrey Parikh, 12, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., center, and Aditi Muthukumar, 13, of Westminster, Colo., right, while competing during the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., on May 30, 2024.
Ananya Rao Prassanna, 13, of Apex, N.C., reacts while competing during the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., on May 30, 2024.
Members of the audience point out a child who has a talent to share during a break in the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., on May 30, 2024.
Faizan Zaki, 12, of Allen, Texas, pauses in the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., on May 30, 2024.
Officials confer during a break in competition in the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., on May 30, 2024.
Previously eliminated spellers react to the announcement of a spell-off during the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., on May 30, 2024.
Bruhat Soma, 12, of Tampa, Fla., stands amid confetti after winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., on May 30, 2024.

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