TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) – It's that time of year when Arizona students from all grades gather to compete in the Arizona Spelling Bee.
Students in grades 3 through 8 are studying and practicing for the March 16 spelling bee. Spelling bees have been a part of American education for the purpose of promoting written and oral literacy. Starting at the classroom level with classmates, students practice competing against each other.
As they progress, students compete across schools and then at the district level. Twenty-eight students from county and regional bees were finalists and competed in the Arizona Spelling His Bee.
The finalists are:
Aliyah Alpert, 8th grade, 13 years old, Alpert Home School, Homeschool, Yavapai County
Bhavyasri Balasubramaniam, 5th grade, 11 years old, Legacy Traditional School Glendale, Independent Charter School, Maricopa County Region 4
Bryant Banzhaf, 5th grade, 11 years old, Pima County Marana Unified School District, Rattlesnake Ridge Elementary School
Ricardo Cabrera, 8th grade, 14 years old, Dodge Traditional Magnet Middle School, Tucson Unified School District, Pima County
Noah Clark, 8th grade, 13 years old, Flagstaff Home Educator, Homeschool, Coconino County
Meridian Crease, 5th grade, 11 years old, Crease Academy, homeschool, Maricopa Region 3
Landon Curtis, 8th grade, 14 years old, from Fairbanks Middle School, Morenci School District, Greenlee County
Oney Estes, 6th grade, 12 years old, Alpine Elementary School, Alpine Elementary School District, Apache County
Anthony Estrella, 8th grade, 14 years old, Legacy Traditional School Surprise, Independent Charter School, Maricopa Region 5
Isabel Garcia, 7th grade, 13 years old, Maricopa Region 1, Kyrene Elementary School District, Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School.
Kavyadarshini Hariharan, 8th grade, 13 years old, Painted Rock Academy, Independent Charter School, Maricopa Region 4
Alric James, 5th grade, 11 years old, Estrella Foothills Global Academy, Laveen School District, Maricopa Region 3
Ethan Knudson, 8th grade, 14 years old, Masada Charter School, Independent Charter School, Mohave County.
Aneesh Kulkarni, 6th grade, 12 years old, Desert Trails Elementary School, Paradise Valley Unified School District, Maricopa Region 2
• Sihyun Kyong, 8th grade, 14 years old, BASIS Ahwatukee, Independent Charter School, Maricopa Region 1
Aaliyah Magsano, 8th grade, 14 years old, Legacy Traditional School – Queen Creek, Pinal County Independent Charter School
Esha Malpudi, 6th grade, 12 years old, Basis Chandler, Independent Charter School, Maricopa Region 6
VenkataSuchith Nathani, 7th grade, 13 years old, University of Arizona Prep Middle School, Chandler Unified School District, Maricopa Region 6
Carly Nguyen, 4th grade, 9 years old, Great Hearts Charter School, Archway Trivium School, Maricopa Region 5
Kayson Nunley, 8th grade, 14 years old, Safford Middle School, Safford Unified School District, Graham County
Natalie Pinkerton, 5th grade, 11 years old, Dorothy Hall Elementary School, Yuma School District, Yuma County
Finely Roberts, 8th grade, 14 years old, Dragon Claw Academy Middle School, Independent Charter School, Maricopa Region 2
Jacob Schliekelman, 4th grade, 10 years old, Ehrenberg Elementary School, Quartzsite Elementary School District, La Paz County
Alexis Simon, 8th grade, 13 years old, Little Red Schoolhouse, Santa Cruz Elementary School District, Santa Cruz County
Avery Smith Hendricks, 6th grade, 12 years old, Leading Edge Academy Maricopa, Pinal County Independent Charter School
Caitlin Stevens, 8th grade, 14 years old, Veritas Christian Community School, Cochise County Private Christian School
Lathan Strom, 7th grade, 13 years old, Gila County Miami Unified School District, Miami Junior/Senior School.
Shaunce Yellowhair, 8th grade, 14 years old, Winslow Middle School, Winslow Unified School District, Navajo County
