Ryan Jiang ’32, the Lower School’s 2024-25 spelling bee champion, has advanced to the district round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which is taking place this weekend in Charlotte.

Ryan emerged as the division’s top speller in the fall, when students in third through fifth grades kicked off the competition with classroom rounds. In preparation for this round, these Ravens received a grade-level list of words, and any student who spelled the 15 words correctly advanced to the grade-level round. This spelling bee round is a single-elimination round, meaning a contestant who spells a word incorrectly is eliminated. 

As a result of the grade-level competition, three students from each grade moved on to the divisional round, which took place Nov. 20 with Middle School ELA teacher and longtime spelling bee coordinator Morrisa Nagel moderating. Ryan, a fifth-grader, won this event, with Asher Kirschbaum ’34, a third-grader, coming in as runner-up. 

After winning the divisional round, Ryan received a list of 450 words to study. He then took an online assessment, where he answered all questions correctly and was identified as among the Top 18 Champions from the North Carolina and South Carolina Homeschools, Private Schools and Charter Schools division.

Ryan will participate in the district-level round at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Sunday, March 9. The event is billed as the Carolina Panthers Regional Spelling Bee. 

Fifth-grade teacher Wes Brown, who coordinated the Lower School event, said, “We are proud of Ryan for being identified as a Top 18 Champion from the North Carolina and South Carolina Homeschools, Private Schools and Charter Schools division of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. This remarkable accomplishment highlights not only Ryan’s exceptional talent but also his unwavering dedication. The countless hours Ryan devoted to reviewing study lists reflect his deep commitment to excellence and his determination to push himself to new heights.”

Brown added that Ryan’s success is particularly meaningful as the competition is new to the Lower School.

“Though the Middle School has participated in the Scripps National Spelling Bee for over 15 years, this is the first year for the Lower School,” he said. “When preparing for each round, I connected with Morrisa to ensure we had alignment in expectations, communication and procedures.”

According to the Scripps website, participation in the spelling bee supports students in the development of vocabulary and language skills, strengthens life skills like time management and goal setting, inspires a lifelong love of learning and helps them gain confidence and practice poise under pressure. Learn more about the Scripps program, which is celebrating its 100th year, on their website.

Good luck this weekend, Ryan!