The spelling bee will return for its second year on July 26. The $10 registration is required by July 13, and a maximum of 30 people can participate.
“I was so overwhelmed by the support I got for organizing the spelling bee,” Lopez said of last year’s inaugural event in which 23 spellers competed. “Everyone was so excited to be there and respectful to each other. People said it was a really great experience, and that’s what I was hoping for.”
Credit: Akiphotographyllc
Credit: Akiphotographyllc
Springfield resident Lopez, 17, began competing in spelling bees in second grade and was inspired to create the bee after being too old — at age 14 — to compete nationally. She qualified for the National Spelling Bee in 2019, 2021 and 2022. The event was canceled due to COVID in 2020.
Lopez has brought some unique twists to the Champion City Spelling Bee.
First, it’s open to all ages. Last year’s participants ranged from a second grader to older adults. The winner, Avinav Prem, was in middle school; the first runner-up, Kaiden Webb, was in high school; and the second runner-up was adult Lori Young.
“Everyone is in the same round regardless of age,” Lopez said, “but there was no clear pattern of who advanced based on their age.”
Second, event sponsors help select themes for the rounds. For example, 2024 and 2025 sponsor the Springfield Symphony Orchestra chose “jazz jargon” as a theme last year.
“Spellers found the words more interesting than they thought,” Lopez said. “It was really impressive to everyone in the audience.”
This year’s sponsors include Clark State College, Del Pueblo, Fireside Pottery, Greater Springfield Partnership, Minuteman Press, Sip & Dipity, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, the Stuckey Firm, Wittenberg University, Woeber Mustard Company, and Young’s Jersey Dairy.
Many sponsors also are providing prizes, such as tickets, gift certificates and the champion’s trophy handmade by Fireside Pottery.
Sponsors also help fund the spelling bee’s scholarship, which is open to middle and high school students and awarded after the event. Recent graduate Addie Powell received a $450 scholarship last year.
“I’ve always seen this as something I want to do for multiple years,” Lopez said. “I want to give this opportunity to as many people as possible.”
The event is something Lopez, who will graduate from Cedarville High School in spring 2026, sees as helping her in college and beyond.
“I’m interested in working with the community, so I may pursue a career in government or law, and I’ve been exploring that with the bee,” she said. “While it’s a spelling bee, it’s also a community engagement event. It’s been a really great learning experience for me.”
How to Go
What: The Champion City Spelling Bee
When: 9:30 a.m., Saturday, July 26
Cost: $10 for required registration; free to attend.
Where: Wittenberg University
How: To compete, register online by July 13. Visit the link below.
More Info: Visit https://linktr.ee/thechampioncityspellingbee, @thechampioncityspellingbee on Instagram, learn more on Facebook or email thechampioncityspellingbee@gmail.com.
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