{"id":737,"date":"2026-05-26T13:36:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T13:36:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arizonamovinginsider.com\/?p=737"},"modified":"2026-05-26T13:36:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T13:36:36","slug":"scripps-national-spelling-bee-returns-to-roots-in-washington-dc-with-new-host","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arizonamovinginsider.com\/?p=737","title":{"rendered":"Scripps National Spelling Bee returns to roots in Washington, DC, with new host"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Scripps National Spelling Bee kicks off in earnest Tuesday with kids from around the world stepping up to the mic for the preliminary rounds. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Read more This National Missing Children\u2019s Day, AZ has hundreds of active cases<\/a><\/p>\n

Nearly 250 spellers, ages 9 to 15, will tackle some of the hardest words in the dictionary, and 2026 comes with some big changes that even the most veteran spellers can get excited about. \u00a0<\/p>\n

After spending 15 years in Maryland, the competition is moving back to the nation\u2019s capital. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe always wanted to get back to DC just to have that rich experience for our spellers, to be able to integrate into the city and see all those monuments and museums firsthand. So we’re really excited about how much this can enrich the experience,\u201d explained Corrie Loeffler, the Executive Director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee\u00a0<\/p>\n

RELATED STORY | <\/b>What do professional athletes and Scripps Bee contestants have in common? Host Mina Kimes knows<\/b><\/p>\n

Officials considered proposals from across the country, but Loeffler says they wanted to get the Bee back to its roots. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The new home at Constitution Hall will put spellers and their families in the heart of Washington D.C. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Read more WATCH: Chandler American Legion Riders observe Memorial Day with annual honor ride<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThey’ve used it as a double for the White House and films and TV. Can you imagine being a 12-year-old kid walking up those steps, seeing those gorgeous pillars and being like, \u2018This is my stage. This is for me.\u2019 It’s just going to make these kids see themselves in a whole new light,\u201d said Loeffler\u00a0<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s not the only big change. There\u2019s also a new host of the Bee \u2013 ESPN’s Mina Kimes. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Kimes competed in spelling bees as a kid but admits her skills were nowhere near the caliber of the kids on the national stage. But she\u2019s excited to jump back into that world, and she said the talent and poise these expert spellers demonstrate is awe-inspiring. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe competitive spirit and the calm they bring. I mean, that’s what, probably what amazes me the most, right? We’re talking about kids, 11, 12, 13, 14, who are like ice cold on the stage, and I think that’s so similar to elite athletes, and there’s a lot of parallels between the two,\u201d Kimes said. \u00a0<\/p>\n

RELATED STORY | <\/b>Why nearly every Scripps Bee finalist has a coach \u2014 and why one stands above the rest<\/b><\/p>\n

The competition kicks off Tuesday morning, with all 247 spellers taking the big stage. The finals happen Thursday night\u00a0live on ION starting at 8 p.m. ET.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read more MOST ACCURATE FORECAST: Cooler end to May in the Valley<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee returns to D.C. with 247 spellers, a new host Mina Kimes, and big changes to enrich the experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":736,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-737","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment"],"yoast_head":"\nScripps National Spelling Bee returns to roots in Washington, DC, with new host - Arizona Moving Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/arizonamovinginsider.com\/?p=737\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Scripps National Spelling Bee returns to roots in Washington, DC, with new host - 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