Phoenix, Ariz., March 19, 2022 — Aliyah Alpert a 6th grader from Alpert Homeschool has out-spelled 26 other competitors to win the 2022 Arizona Spelling Bee hosted by the Arizona Educational Foundation on Saturday, March 19, 2022. Aliyah correctly spelled the word “foudroyant” in the 29th round to win the bee.
Top 5 Arizona State Spelling Bee Winners for 2022 are:
· 1st Place - Aliyah Alpert - Yavapai County, attends Alpert Homeschool.
· 2nd Place - Srihaas Ghanta - Maricopa Region 5, attends Trivium Preparatory Academy in Great Hearts Academies.
· 3rd Place - Vibhav Athreya - Maricopa Region 1, attends BASIS Ahwatukee in BASIS Charter Schools.
· 4th Place - Jacob Sajan - Maricopa Region 2, attends Highland Lakes School in the Deer Valley Unified School District.
· 5th Place - Ethan Greenwood - Maricopa Region 4, attends Coyote Hills Elementary School in the Peoria Unified School District.
This year’s Arizona Spelling Bee was held in person at Madison Performing Arts Center in Phoenix. Spellers competed against each other from different school locations across the state. It is the 24th year the event is being coordinated by the Arizona Educational Foundation. All Arizona schools including public, private, charter, and homeschools are eligible to compete.
“It’s thrilling and inspiring to see the dedication and determination of these students,” stated Dr. Teresa Hill, the coordinator of the Arizona state Spelling Bee. “Being a champion speller takes thousands of hours of hard work, and it’s exciting to see all of the students showcasing their talents at the bee.”
This year, the Arizona Educational Foundation, who is the official State Spelling Bee coordinator, was the recipient of a $20,000 grant from Thunderbirds Charities to support the Arizona State Spelling Bee. “We are proud to once again support AEF’s Arizona State Spelling Bee," said Scott Jenkins, Thunderbirds Charities President. “This annual event reinforces their self-confidence and how reading and writing can be fun and rewarding. We look forward to seeing this year’s participants and celebrating their success.”
“We are so grateful for the support from Thunderbirds Charities,” says Kim Graham, AEF Executive Director. “They do so much to support education in Maricopa and Pinal counties and we are truly honored that they have chosen to support this vital academic opportunity for students.”
The student who wins the State Spelling Bee goes on to represent Arizona as the official State Champion in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Arizona has one of the largest Spelling Bee participation rates in the nation, with close to 300,000 students competing each year from public, private, charter, and homeschools statewide. In June the Scripps National Spelling Bee will be held in Washington D.C., and ION will televise the Semifinals on June 1, and the Finals on June 2.
A video recording of the spelling bee will be uploaded to the Arizona Educational Foundation's YouTube channel and website the week following the bee.
For more details about the AEF Spelling Bee program, please visit www.azedfoundation.com/spelling-bee.
For more information about the Arizona State Spelling Bee or finalist information, contact Dr. Teresa Hill, State Bee Coordinator, at teresa@azedfoundation.org or 520-591-0972.
About Arizona Educational Foundation:
The mission of AEF is to celebrate excellence and cultivate equity in Pre-K-12th grade Arizona public education. This is accomplished through a variety of programs for teachers, administrators, and students. Some programs shine a spotlight on excellence; others provide a stepping stone to help support schools and educators on the road to awesomeness. In addition to the Arizona Teacher of the Year program, AEF also coordinates the Arizona State Spelling Bee, the A+ School of Excellence Award, the Principals Leadership Academy of Arizona, teachSTEM, Take Your Legislator to School, and Our World. AEF was founded in 1983 by then State Superintendent of Public Education, Carolyn Warner, who felt a nonprofit needed to be established to champion public education and recognize the great work of public school educators. AEF annually reaches over 500,000 students, teachers and administrators throughout Arizona. For more information, visit www.azedfoundation.org or contact info@azedfoundation.org.
About Thunderbirds Charities:
Thunderbirds Charities is a non-profit organization formed in 1986 to distribute monies raised through the WM Phoenix Open. The mission of Thunderbirds Charities is to assist children and families, help people in need and improve the quality of life in the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area. The Thunderbirds were founded in 1937 with the mission of promoting the Valley of the Sun through sports. The Thunderbirds consist of 55 “active” members and more than 285 “life” members. For more information on the Thunderbirds or the 2022 Waste Management Phoenix Open, visit www.wmphoenixopen.com. For more information on the Thunderbirds Charities, visit www.thunderbirdscharities.org.
Media Contact:
Terri Bradford
Director of Communications & Digital Strategy, Arizona Educational Foundation
Mobile: 720-468-3996
Email address: terri@azedfoundation.org
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