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The spellers have returned to their stands and are all set to compete for the championship title in the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Hosted by by actor, director, educator and lifelong children’s literacy advocate LeVar Burton, the competition features students from all over the world challenging each other's spelling skills while aiming for the championship title.
Here's everything viewers need to know about the upcoming finale, which will be available on ION Television for live streaming on June 2, 2022.
2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee Finals: When will it air and what to expect?
The finale of the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee is all set to premiere on Thursday, June 2, from 8 PM to 10 PM ET on ION Television. Around 234 spellers arrived in National Harbor, Maryland, to compete in the annual event, which began its proceedings on Tuesday, May 31.
According to the E.W. Scripps Company, a few highlights of the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee field include:
- Four countries will be represented in addition to the US - Bahamas, Canada, Germany and Ghana. They will also be accompanied by spellers from Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.Around 165 contestants are from public schools.
- The national age qualification range is from 7 to 15.
- 45 spellers have previously competed in the competition.
- 23 have relatives who are former national competitors.
- Four were finalists in 2021, including three who tied for fourth place.
The champion will win $50,000 in cash, $2,500 in prizes from Merriam-Webster, $400 in reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica, a commemorative medal and the Scripps Cup.
The competitors participating in the final event have advanced from local and regional bees that took place in April. The preliminaries are scheduled for May 31, and they will be followed by the quarterfinals and semifinals on June 1. The finals will be held on on June 2. The semifinals and finals will be televised on ION and Bounce.
About the competitors
The 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee has a diverse group of students competing from different states. There are about 70 Indian-American kids among the 234 spellers in the National Round. Two Austin kids, Tarani Nadakumar and Michael Kolagani, are competing this time after having competed last year as well. Connecticut kid Julia Settevendemie is also competing this year.
Two of the contestants are aged 7 years old, making them the youngest competitors in this year's competition. Akash Vukoti, whose first Bee participation was in 2016 at the age of 6, is competing in his fifth Scripps Bee. Ana Guadalupe Villagomez, one of the contestants, has travelled 7,900 miles to reach the Bee.
More about the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee
The 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee will mark the event's return to the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center outside of Washington, D.C. In 2020, the Bee was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was held mostly virtually in 2021.
The 2021 finals had 11 spellers and were held in-person at ESPN Wide World of Sports near Orlando with pandemic-related safety protocols. Zaila Avant-garde was the 2021 champion.
The executive director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee recently stated:
"The 2022 national competitors represent a diverse group of dedicated, hardworking and perseverant students. As they prepare for their moment at the microphone, the Bee is working to make the whole week an unforgettable experience for them – both on and offstage."
He further added:
"This year, our spellers will participate in brand-new Bee Week opportunities that ignite their curiosity and help them connect with the world around them – central pieces of the Bee's commitment to illuminate pathways to lifelong learning. We hope to make it a once-in-a-lifetime moment for every student who attends."
Catch the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee finale on ION Television on June 2. The preliminaries, quarterfinals and semifinals are also available to stream on the platform.
