13 students from Illinois competing in 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee
The best spellers in the country are in Washington, D.C. for the 100th Scripps National Spelling Bee, including 13 contestants from Illinois and more than half a dozen from the Chicago area.
Beatriz Whitford-Rodriguez, 14, is in eighth grade at Skinner North Classical School in Lincoln Park and is being sponsored by Chicago Public Schools.
Shruthi Ayyagari, 13, is a seventh grader at Francis Granger Middle School in Aurora, Illinois. She is sponsored by the DuPage Regional Office of Education.
Katie Park, 14, is an eighth grader at St. Andrews Lutheran School in Park Ridge, Illinois. She is sponsored by the South Cook intermediate Service Center.
Alanur Mescioglu, 13, is in seventh grade at Ira Jones Middle School in Plainfield, Illinois, and is sponsored at the bee by the Will County Regional Office of Education.
Yahya Mohammed, 13, is in seventh grade at Larsen Middle School in Elgin, Illinois. He is sponsored by the Kane County Regional Office of Education.
Tyler Kochanski, 14, is in eighth grade at Saints Peter & Paul Catholic School in Cary, Illinois, and is sponsored by the McHenry County Regional Office of Education.
Visharad Sathish is a 12-year-old seventh grader at Lake Forest County Day School in Lake Forest, Illinois, and is sponsored by the Lake County Regional Office of Education.
Other Illinois competitors include Brighid Reid, 13, of DeKalb, Illinois; Kavin Kumar Suriya Prakash, 14, of Edwards, Illinois; Mason Coulhard, 14, of Freeport, Illinois; Julia Kurien, 14, of Loves Park, Illinois; Arnav Sharma, 12, of Morris, Illinois; and Parker Zimmerly, 14, of Sterling, Illinois.
The preliminary rounds of the competition got underway Tuesday morning. The final winner will be named Thursday evening.
