SPELLING BEE HISTORY

Etymological story "Bee"

1530

The word "bee" is quite old and is used in the spelling bee.
It refers to a community social gathering in which friends and neighbors come together in a single activity.

Spelling beginnings

1786

Spelling beginnings
It originated in the USA, thanks to the spelling books of Noah Webster published in 1786 and known as "Blue-backed Spellers".
These books have been an integral part of the American elementary school curriculum for more than five generations.

First contest

1925

The first winner of an official spelling bee was Frank Neuhauser, who won the 1st National Spelling Bee (now known as the Scripps National Spelling Bee) in Washington, D.C. in 1925 at the age of eleven.

Alternate contests

1996

The First National Adult Spelling Bee began in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1996. Sponsored by the Wyoming AARP, it is open to contestants age 50 and older. Maria Dawson is the only contestant to have won two titles in a row in the "National Senior Spelling Bee."

Spelling bee nationwide.

2006

This was the first year that other foreign participants attended the competition.
The championship rounds of the national spelling bee have been broadcast live on ABC where contestants hailed from the Bahamas, Jamaica, Guam, the Virgin Islands, South America, Canada, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, and a German military base, in addition to the United States.

Karthik Nemmani

2018

Karthik Nemmani, from McKinney, Texas, 14, won the 2018 Scripps National Spelling Bee after correctly spelling the word koinonia. This was the first time that Nemmani participated in the national final.