WHAT IS IT?
The Spelling Bee is an event that challenges children K-8 to utilize their spelling and phonetic skills in a competitive environment. The top 27 spellers in the state compete in the State Spelling Bee to determine who will represent Arizona in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. The winner and an escort receive an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete with spellers from all over the nation.

2008 Arizona Spelling Bee Champion: So-Young Chung, a 6th Grader at Terramar Elementary School in Peoria is the winner of the 2008 Arizona Spelling Bee, held Saturday, March 29, 2008. So-Young, who finished 4 th in the 2007 Arizona State Spelling Bee, out-spelled 26 other students with the winning word bantamweight in the 22nd round of the Bee. Bantamweight is a noun meaning a boxer of the class whose maximum weight is 118 pounds. So-Young will represent Arizona at the 81 st Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee May 29-30 in Washington, D.C. Runners up in Saturday's Arizona Spelling Bee were:
2nd place: Marjorie Aquino, 7th Grade, Walker Butte K-8 School, Queen Creek;
3rd Place: Adrian Cottam, homeschooler, Elgin;
4th Place: Ronae Matriano, 5th Grade, Estrella Visat Elementary School, Avondale;
5th Place: Hannah Fechter, 6th Grade, Alhambra Traditional School, Phoenix.

The 2008 Arizona Spelling Bee will air on KAET-Channel 8 on Sunday, April 13 at 5:00 p.m. and on Wednesday, April 16 at 11:00 p.m.

2008 STATE SPELLING BEE FINALISTS (by county/region)
Apache: Carly Moter, St. Johns Middle School, St. Johns
Cochise: Paige Blancett, Palominas School, Hereford
Coconino: Meredith Young, Home School, Flagstaff
Gila: Emily Price, Rim Country Middle School, Payson
Graham: Emory Montierth, Ruth Powell Elementary School, Safford
Greenlee: Jessica Puleston, Morenci Jr High School, Morenci
La Paz: Jurnee Hornbeak, Wallace Jr. High School, Parker
Maricopa Region 1: Jonathan Gauthier, Kyrene Altadena, Phoenix
Maricopa Region 1: Theo Vermaas, Fees Middle School, Tempe
Maricopa Region 2: So-Young Chung, Terramar Elementary, Peoria
Maricopa Region 2: Demi Usamanont, Shea Middle School, Phoenix
Maricopa Region 3: Hannah Fechter, Alhambra Traditional, Phoenix
Maricopa Region 3: Sarah Syed, Arizona Cultural Academy, Phoenix
Maricopa Region 4: Kaitlin Dickson-Powell, Cholla Middle School, Phx
Maricopa Region 4: Kent Morrissey, Mountain Sky Jr. High, Phx
Maricopa Region 5: Jacob Esquivel, Arlington Elementary, Arlington
Maricopa Region 5: Ronae Matriano, Estrella Vista Elem., Avondale
Maricopa Region 6: Tony Nguyen, Andersen Jr. High, Chandler
Maricopa Region 6: Pooja Paode, Willis Jr. High, Chandler
Mohave: David Joe, White Cliffs Middle School, Kingman
Navajo: Analisa Dawson, Home School, Holbrook
Pima: Brian Bradel, Coronado K-8 School, Tucson
Pima: Emily Ralston, Cross Middle School, Tucson
Pinal: Marjorie Aquino, Walker Butte K-8 School, Queen Creek
Santa Cruz: Adrian Cottam, Home School, Elgin
Yavapai: Xavier Barrow, Prescott Mile High Middle School, Prescott
Yuma: Robert Steen, Centennial Middle School, Yuma

WHEN DOES IT HAPPEN?
Dec/January (early) - School Bees
January (late) - District Bees
February (late) - County and Regional Bees
March 29, 2008- Arizona State Spelling Bee at 1:00 p.m. at the KAET-Channel 8 Studios on the ASU-Tempe Main campus
May 29 & 30, 2008 - Scripps National Spelling Bee, Washington D.C.

HOW DOES IT WORK?
Schools must enroll with the Scripps National Spelling Bee to be eligible to compete at the Arizona State Spelling Bee (see above). To become one of the 27 finalists in the Arizona State Spelling Bee, students must win their school spelling bee. They then must win their district bees. Finally, each county holds a bee to determine who competes as a finalist in the state bee. Due to the size of Maricopa County, six regional bees are held. The winner and runner-up from each of the six regional competitions become finalists in the state bee. Pima County sends two contestants to the state bee.

WHAT ARE THE REWARDS?

The winner of the State Spelling Bee receives:

• A trip for 2 to Washington, D.C. to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee
• $500 cash
• A Webster’s Third New International Dictionary
• A $100 savings bond
• The Great Books of the Western World - a 60-volume set from Harrison Middleton University

Four runners-up receive

• $50 Savings Bond

All 27 State finalists receive

• A choice of The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy or Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary from Harrison Middleton University

WHO MAKES THIS POSSIBLE?
U.S. AIRWAYS is the Presenting Sponsor of the Arizona State Spelling Bee.

Additional support provided by:

KAET-Channel 8
Safeway

Click here for information about Arizona's Dictée des Amériques (French writing contest).