Connecticut's Major Spelling Bee Slated In West Hartford Sunday

Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The hometown of the man behind the modern dictionary is, perhaps, the only appropriate place for Connecticut's top student spellers to gather.

And that is just what will happen this Sunday when the Connecticut Spelling Bee returns to West Hartford.

Participants will compete for the chance to represent Connecticut at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May.

The 8th annual Connecticut Spelling Bee is presented by the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society, Connecticut’s official regional partner to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The competition begins at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 9, at the Hoffman Auditorium at the University of Saint Joseph, located at 1678 Asylum Ave. in West Hartford.

Students competing in The Connecticut Spelling Bee have already won their school- or town-wide spelling bees.

This year, thousands of Connecticut students in grades 1-8 participated in the spelling bee program.

From that, 64 are eligible to move on to the state level.

This makes 2025 the largest and most competitive Connecticut Spelling Bee in recent history, a number that grows each year.

Webster House officials said they're proud to be a partner in the competition.

Born in 1758 in what is now West Hartford, Noah Webster is considered a legendary English language pioneer ... the "father" of the modern English language in America. (Hence "Webster's Dictionary")

“As Connecticut’s official regional Partner to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the Noah Webster House is proud to once again present this event and we have more students than ever participating this year,” said Jeffrey Mainville, executive director of the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society. “We are especially grateful to PeoplesBank, the Premier Sponsor of the 2025 Connecticut Spelling Bee.”

“At PeoplesBank, we are deeply committed to our associates, customers, and community. We proudly support The Connecticut Spelling Bee; this event not only fosters educational excellence but also strengthens our community spirit. By integrating our associates into this celebration, we reinforce our dedication to both education and community engagement,” said Ryan Young, PeoplesBank, West Hartford Banking Center Manager.

The winner of The Connecticut Spelling Bee will represent the state at the Scripps National Spelling Bee May 27-29 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Port Washington, Maryland.

The top Connecticut speller will also receive a $1,000 scholarship to the University of Saint Joseph if admitted.

“Noah Webster House is grateful to our friends at University of Saint Joseph for once again hosting The Connecticut Spelling Bee on their beautiful campus,” added Mainville.

The Connecticut Spelling Bee is free and open to the public, but seating is limited and live recordings of this event are strictly prohibited. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. For more information, email events@noahwebsterhouse.org.

For more information on the 2025 Connecticut Spelling Bee, click on this link.