The Post-Standard and syracuse.com announce partnership with 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee

As part of its commitment to promote literacy and youth education in the Central New York community, The Post-Standard and syracuse.com are again proud to announce that they are official 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee regional partners to give local students and schools the opportunity to participate in the 100th anniversary year of America’s longest-running educational competition.

As the exclusive regional partner for the Central New York region, The Post-Standard and syracuse.com will sponsor the regional spelling bee competition held in Spring 2025 and will send one regional champion to the national competition in May 2025, where they will have the opportunity to compete for the Scripps Cup.

The 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion was Bruhat Soma, a 12-year-old from Tampa, Florida, who won the coveted title after winning the competition’s second Spell-off with a record-setting 29 correctly spelled words.

Last year’s winner was Simran Sanders from Jamesville-Dewitt Middle School and she finished 60th overall at the Scripps National Bee.  The Syracuse Newspapers have sponsored the regional spelling bee since 1947.  In 1976, our winner, Tim Kneale of Nedrow, won The Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Lindsay Marlenga, Senior Director of Marketing for syracuse.com and The Post-Standard believes the Scripps National Spelling Bee is so much more than a spelling competition.  “The Scripps National Spelling Bee does so much more than encourage spelling and literacy among our kids.  It encourages practice, focus and dedication in a world with a short attention span and raises confidence in our children with every correct spelling.  It highlights the history and connectivity of language.  syracuse.com and The Post-Standard are proud to sponsor the journey of our local spellers again this year.”

Schools in Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties are eligible to enroll in the 2024-2025 program now through Jan. 30. Educators can visit Spellingbee.com/enroll to learn more and enroll their schools in the program.

By inspiring the exploration of words, the Scripps National Spelling Bee illuminates’ pathways to lifelong curiosity, celebrates academic achievement and enriches communities. Each year, the Bee reaches millions of students across the country and around the world with the classroom materials it provides schools enrolled in the yearlong program.

Participation in regional bees also provides an opportunity for students to gain experience in public speaking, develop confidence and inspire a love of learning and connection with their peers.