Three Local Students to Participate in County-Wide Spelling Bee

Three students from area elementary schools will participate in the Fairfax County Spelling Bee Sunday.

Sixth graders Nick Oldham from , Baseerat Chaudhry from , and fifth grader Pecharat Kitijaruat from won spelling bees at their respective schools. These students are among 58 spellers from across the county who will compete for a spot in the National Spelling Bee.

Judges include Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross and School Board Members Elizabeth Schultz and Ted Velkoff. The pronouncer is 1983 National Spelling Bee Champion Blake Giddens. Giddens won the bee at age 14 by correctly spelling a five-letter Jewish holiday, “Purim.”

The Fairfax County Spelling Bee will take place on March 18 at 2 p.m. at Hayfield Secondary School. The National Spelling Bee will take place in late May at the Gaylord Hotel, National Harbor. The Bee will be televised on ESPN.

All elementary schools and middle schools in Fairfax County are eligible to host a spelling bee, send a champion to the county bee, and possibly send their champion to the National Spelling Bee. For more information, please email Judy Joyce at judyjoyce@verizon.net.