The 69th Edition of the WITF Central PA Spelling Bee will be held on March 15, 2025, at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. Over 200 spellers from 10 Central PA counties participated in this year’s Bee. After an online written test, the top 33 spellers have qualified for the Grand Championship Bee. The winner will compete at the 100th Scripps National Spelling Bee in the Washington, DC area in May.

Each winter, the WITF Central PA Spelling Bee invites 4th to 8th grade students from 11 surrounding counties to demonstrate their spelling knowledge as they attempt to make their way to the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Interested schools can register with Scripps at www.spellingbee.com, then conduct their school spelling bees. The school champions qualify to participate in the WITF Written Spelling Bee which consists of a written test and vocabulary test. The top 37 spellers participate in the WITF Grand Championship Spelling Bee, an oral spelldown held at the WITF Public Media Center in March with highlights and featured stories available on YouTube and other digital platforms. The winner from the WITF Grand Championship Spelling Bee qualifies to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee held in Washington DC end of May/early June.

2025 Spelling Bee Finalists

Abiona, Gift — East Pennsboro MS/SD
Abisah, Janita — Paxtonia ES/Central Dauphin SD
Bazan, Alexander — Dallastown MS/SD
Bonslaver, Ben — Dallastown MS/SD
Burman, Vedika — Paxtonia ES/Central Dauphin SD
DePaul, Alaina — Warwick MS/SD
Dulal, Kylen — Palmyra Area MS/SD
Edwards, Gabrielle — Martin Meylin MS/Lampeter-Strasburg SD
Freitag, Abigail — Linglestown MS/Central Dauphin SD
Kelsey, Olivia — Lancaster Country Day School
Kesevan, Anunita — Eagle View MS/Cumberland Valley SD
Kopp, Christian — West York Area MS/SD
Kumar, Rudranandhan — Mountain View MS/Cumberland Valley SD
Leatherman, Lila — Upper Adams IS/SD
Mahesh-Nithy, Devonah — Landisville IC/Hempfield SD
Mercado, Elizabeth — Cocalico MS/SD
Mogilineedi, Sai Sri Valli — Mountain View MS/Cumberland Valley SD
Mora, Kristel Douret — Gerald G Huesken MS/Conestoga Valley SD
Noblit, Finley — Greencastle-Antrim MS/SD
Nou, Rachana — Central Dauphin MS/SD
Nur, Liban — Central York MS/SD
Patton, Nicholas — Wheatland MS/School District of Lancaster
Penneti, Saisrisamardh — Mechanicsburg MS/Mechanicsburg Area SD
Ray, Sidhiswarupa — Eagle View MS/Cumberland Valley SD
Somisetty, Akshaj — Mountain View MS/Cumberland Valley SD
Watson, Layla — Greencastle-Antrim MS/SD
Weaver, Weston — Mechanicsburg MS/Mechanicsburg Area SD
Weir, Maelle — Greencastle-Antrim MS/SD
Wratto, Diamond — Ephrata IS/SD
Yadlapally, Jaswanth — Eagle View MS/Cumberland Valley SD
Yazeshni, Nekunam — Selinsgrove Area MS/SD
Young TJ — Centerville MS/Hempfield SD
Zia, Zaheer — Yellow Breeches MS/South Middleton SD

Resources

Below are the forms needed to participate in the WITF Spelling Bee. Schools can register their champions by completing the School Registration Form and individual spellers and their parents/guardians can complete the Speller Biography & Appearance Release Form. You can choose to print/download these forms and send them to the WITF Spelling Bee Coordinator, or complete these forms online.

Download/Print Forms

Submit Forms Online