14-year-old from Charlotte advances to Scripps National Spelling Bee finals
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Several students from the Carolinas are competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this week.
Eight students from North Carolina and five students from South Carolina are competing in the 2025 competition, four of whom are from the Charlotte area.
A full list of spellers can be found here.
14-year-old Aishwarya Kallakuri is the only speller from the Carolinas advancing to the finals. She is a student at Valor Prep Academy in Concord.
Kallakuri made it to the national competition after competing in the Carolina Panthers Regional Spelling Bee back in March.
The national competition, held in Washington, D.C. this year, began Tuesday. The finals are scheduled for Thursday at 8 p.m.
Last year, Bruhat Soma, from Tampa, Florida, won the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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