MEDIA ADVISORY: Radford University to host 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee regional competition on Saturday, March 16

Top spellers from Southwest Virginia schools will compete for a spot in the national championships in May

by Patrick Reed

Radford, VA (03/12/2024) — Twenty-four of the top spellers in Southwest Virginia will compete for a spot in the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee during regional competition hosted by Radford University on Saturday, March 16 at 10 a.m.

The winner of the Radford University regional bee will advance to Bee Week 2024, May 26 through May 31 at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. The national competition will begin with preliminaries on Tuesday, May 28 and conclude with the finals on Thursday, May 30.

The finalists for the regional bee come from school districts and private schools across the region: Carroll County Public Schools, Amherst County Public Schools, Bedford County Public Schools, Botetourt County Public Schools, Franklin County Public Schools, Giles County Public Schools. Lynchburg City Public Schools, Montgomery County Public Schools, Radford City Public Schools, Wythe County Public Schools, St. John Neumann Academy (Blacksburg), Floyd County Public Schools, James River Day School (Lynchburg), New Covenant Schools (Lynchburg), Alleghany Highlands Public Schools, Faith Christian School (Roanoke), Pulaski County Public Schools, Roanoke County Public Schools, Salem City Public Schools, Campbell County Public Schools, Nelson County Public Schools, North Cross School (Roanoke County), Roanoke City Public Schools, Roanoke Valley Christian Schools.

City of Radford Mayor David Horton will serve as bee emcee and Radford University President Bret Danilowicz will give welcoming remarks. Matthew Smith, dean of Radford's College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences, will perform the role of bee pronouncer.

What: Scripps National Spelling Bee Regionals

Where: Bonnie Hurlburt Student Center ("The Bonnie") Auditorium on the Radford University main campus

When: Saturday, March 16, 2024, 10 a.m.

Campus map: https://www.radford.edu/content/dam/radford/content-files/parking-map.pdf

Parking is available in Lots JJ, HH, M, N, R (first come, first served)

Official bee rules: https://www.spellingbee.com/rules