Akron's speller moves to 3rd round of Scripps National Spelling Bee
OXON HILL, Maryland – Akron Beacon Journal Regional Spelling Bee champion Zach Yeager of Doylestown has moved on to the third round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The 14-year-old eighth grader from Chippewa Jr./Sr. High School in Doylestown correctly spelled his first word − QUONK. He then correctly selected the definition of his vocabulary word − BOISTEROUS − in the bee's second round. The definition was "full of exhuberant spirits."
Yeager now will move on to the bee's third round, which involves a written test. Spellers will face 28 spelling words and 12 vocabulary words. Five words will not count toward the spellers' scores, but officials won't tell them which ones as they're taking the test.
Bee officials said close to 100 spellers will move on to Round 4.
Beginning with Route 3, spellers will face words they haven't studied. Spellers had a list of about 3,000 words to study for the first two rounds. There are 243 spellers in this year's bee.
Yeager is representing The Akron Beacon Journal in the national bee, after winning its Regional Bee in March. It's Yeager's second consecutive trip to the event after also winning Akron's bee in 2024.
The Beacon Journal itself has a featured role in the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Its regional bee was named Scripps' Partner of the Year for 2025. Akron's spelling bee is the longest, continuously running partner in the national bee.
This year is the Scripps National Spelling Bee's 100th birthday. Akron has had a speller in every bee since the very first, when nine students competed.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron's speller Zach Yeager moves to 3rd round in Scripps spelling bee
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