The Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society is proud to be Connecticut’s only Official Regional Partner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee!
Registration for 2025 is open now through January 31, 2025. Click here to enroll now! For information about the 2025 Connecticut Spelling Bee, please email us at [email protected]
The Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society is located in and around Noah Webster’s childhood home. In West Hartford, Webster was tutored by local minister Nathan Perkins and nurtured into the intellectual whose name we all recognize. He changed the course of American education by penning the “Blue Backed Speller” and made the first (and largest single-person) attempt to unify our new nation through shared language. His 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language was the first to define distinctly American words. For those words already known to the English-speaking world, Webster made their spelling more intuitive.
The work, comprising a staggering 70,000 words, took Noah Webster 22 years to complete. An American Dictionary of the English Language has morphed into Merriam-Webster’s, which is the final authority for the Scripps National Spelling Bee today.
The importance of a state-wide spelling bee cannot be overstated. Students who study pronunciation guides and etymology become attuned to language trends, enhancing both written and verbal communication. Scripps National Spelling Bee champions have proven time and again that the study skills and understanding of how words work can clear the path for any career.
This is an opportunity for students to grow their knowledge base and gain confidence. Our goal is to make the competition accessible for all students and host a fair Bee in our central location of West Hartford. We are here to help you get your spelling program off the ground in any way we can.
For more information about The Connecticut Spelling Bee, please contact the Noah Webster House by phone at (860) 521-5362 x120 or email at [email protected].
How to Register
In order for your student to participate, their school or home school group must be enrolled through Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Enrollment for 2025 is open now through January 31, 2025. Click here to enroll now! For more information, please email us at [email protected].
The winner of The Connecticut Spelling Bee (the state’s “Regional Bee”) will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Eligibility
Eligible spellers in The Connecticut Spelling Bee must meet these requirements:
- The speller must be enrolled in a school registered through Scripps National Spelling Bee.
- The speller must be in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th grade (speller cannot turn 15 years old before starting their 8th grade year).
- The speller must have been declared a champion of their school spelling bee taking place on or before February 9, 2024.
- A speller qualifying for the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee must meet the complete list of Eligibility Requirements as listed here: spellingbee.com/eligibility
FAQ
When is The Connecticut Spelling Bee?
- The 2025 Spelling Bee will be held on Sunday, March 9th at 1:00pm.
Where will it be held?
- Hoffman Auditorium at the University of Saint Joseph, 1678 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford, CT.
When do I have to register my school’s champion speller?
- The School Champion Registration deadline is Friday, February 14th, 2025.
When should our school’s spelling bee take place?
- The School Spelling Bee deadline is Friday, February 7th, 2025.
How do we receive study materials?
- The Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society cannot distribute study materials. Everything you need can be found on spellingbee.com. School coordinators have full access to study guides, spelling lists, and helpful databases. Please contact your school coordinator for more information.
How do I login to spellingbee.com?
- You must be registered through Scripps to use a login. School coordinators, if you are experiencing any difficulties with the website, please contact Scripps directly: spellingbee.com/contact.
My speller is homeschooled. Can they still participate?
- Yes! The enrollment fee for a homeschool group/co-op/association is $185. However, an individual home school family may enroll for $135.
Where can I find more information?
- Enrolled schools can expect to receive emails from the Noah Webster House leading up to the CT Bee containing updates and advice for hosting classroom and school bees. Scripps has many resources as well, including a YouTube playlist with webinars and other helpful resources to ensure a successful spelling program. You can find that here!
None of my questions are listed here!
- Do not worry! Scripps has a comprehensive list of FAQs here: spellingbee.com/faq
