Great Valley Middle Schooler Takes 3rd In Chesco Spelling Bee

MALVERN, PA — A Great Valley Middle School student recently finished third in the 2019 Chester County Spelling Bee.

Ritish Kodali of Great Valley Middle School tied for third in the competition with Soham Katdare of Downingtown Middle School, Angelina McGrath of Fred S. Engle Middle School, Bethany Yany of Tredyffrin-Easttown Middle School.

All third-place finishers won a Scrabble game and a $25 Amazon gift card.

Jordi De Jong, an eighth grader at Villa Maria Academy, was the last contestant standing in this year’s.

Jong won with the word "lucid." She will go on to the Scripps National Spelling Bee Contest in Washington, D.C. for the second consecutive year

Srijan Velamuri of Lionville Middle School, Gayatri Venkatesan of Stetson Middle School, and Niranjan Vijayakrishnan of Valley Forge Middle School tied for second.

During the event, 45 students from 45 different schools spelled their way through 246 words.

Each participant earned their spot in the Chester County Spelling Bee by winning their individual school’s spelling bee.

Students prepared for the competition by studying Scripps-provided word lists and practicing at home.