Phoenix, Ariz., March 16, 2024 — Aliyah Alpert, an 8th grader from Alpert Home School, has out-spelled 27 other competitors to win the 2024 Arizona Spelling Bee hosted by the Arizona Educational Foundation on Saturday, March 16, 2024. Aliyah correctly spelled the word “volemic” to win the bee.
Top 5 Arizona State Spelling Bee Winners for 2024 are:
1st Place - Aliyah Alpert, 8th Grade, Age 13, Alpert Home School, Homeschool, Yavapai County
2nd Place - Isabelle Garcia, 7th Grade, Age 13, Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School, Kyrene Elementary School District, Maricopa Region 1
3rd Place - Esha Marupudi, 6th Grade, Age 11, BASIS Chandler, Independent Charter School, Maricopa Region 6
4th Place - Ethan Knudson, 8th Grade, Age 14, Masada Charter School, Independent Charter School, Mohave County
5th Place - Aneesh Kulkarni, 6th Grade, Age 12, Desert Trails Elementary, Paradise Valley Unified School District, Maricopa Region 2
The 2024 Arizona Spelling Bee event was held at the Madison Performing Arts Center in Phoenix which was the 26th year the event was coordinated by the Arizona Educational Foundation (AEF®). Spellers competed against each other from different school locations across the state. Arizona has one of the largest Spelling Bee participation rates in the nation, with over 500,000 students competing from all schools that are eligible to compete across the state, including public, private, charter, and homeschools.
“It’s thrilling and inspiring to see the dedication and determination of these students,” stated Dr. Teresa Hill, AEF Deputy Director and coordinator for the 2024 Arizona 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.”
For the two students who place first and second place in the State Spelling Bee, AEF supports travel for the students and their chaperones to represent Arizona as official champions in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in National Harbor, Maryland. The 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee Finals will be broadcast live on ION the evening of Thursday, May 30, 2024.
For more information about the Arizona Spelling Bee and spellers, contact Emily Ramirez-Lara, AEF® Director of Programs at projects@azedfoundation.org or 623-565-0300.
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About Arizona Educational Foundation, AEF®
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, Our World, and Take Your Legislator to School. 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.
Media Contacts:
Melissa Kaszuba, URIAS Communications for AEF®
Mobile: 732-865-6687
Terri Bradford, AEF® Chief Communications Officer
Mobile: 720-468-3996
Email address: terri@azedfoundation.org