The Scripps National Spelling Bee is R-E-T-U-R-N-I-N-G this year with a new format ahead of its in-person championship.
Last year's bee was canceled for the first time since World War II due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers determined there was no clear path forward to conduct the bee safely at its typical Maryland host site amid the ongoing pandemic. The decision delivered a crushing blow to eighth-grade contestants looking to compete in the bee for one final time. Many spellers follow rigorous study regimens to reach the bee and become the national champion. Contestants are no longer eligible to compete in the bee as high schoolers.