Vedika Burman, 12, of Harrisburg, Pa., competes during the first preliminary round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Washington.
Allison Robbert / AP Photo
Central Pa. champ places in top third at National Spelling Bee, hopes to return
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Katie Knol
Allison Robbert / AP Photo
Vedika Burman, 12, of Harrisburg, Pa., competes during the first preliminary round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Washington.
Vedika Burman, a 6th grader from Central Dauphin Middle School, tied for 79th place in the Scripps National Spelling Bee last week in Washington, D.C., placing her in the top third.
Vedika is the 2026 champion of the Central Pennsylvania Spelling Bee sponsored by WITF and Pennon Education. That competition involved 34 spellers from local schools and lasted 16 rounds.
On the national stage, Vedika spelled against 246 other kids and made it to the fourth round.
This year’s national winner was 14-year-old Shrey Parikh of California. He correctly spelled 32 words in 90 seconds during a spell-off tiebreaker.
“Bee Week was really fun and exciting, and getting to spend time with other scholars just like me was the most fun part of Bee Week,” Vedika said. “In between the breaks on stage, we were talking to each other, and it was a really bonding experience.”
She said she learned a lot from the other spellers — what their study strategies are and how they stay calm on the nationally televised stage. Even after she was eliminated on the word “pottle,” she said she continued to root for her friends who were still in the running. Pottle is a word with 14th-century origins that describes a half-gallon container.
How did she stay calm under pressure? She said she trusted her preparation.
“It’s basically a test of whatever you’ve been preparing for and whatever you’ve been dreaming about,” Vedika said. “The stage was really big, and the lights were all focused on us, and the audience was watching us. It just felt really real, just like you see on TV.”
Monday was her first day back in school after spending Bee Week in Washington, D.C. Vedika said her entire extended family and the Central Dauphin community were solidly behind her. Many watched the competition live and congratulated her when she got back.
“It was such an exciting and enriching experience that I definitely want to be back there next year,” she said.
Competitors need to be under the age of 16 or in eighth grade or below.
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