The bee teaches many invaluable life lessons and this year’s is a celebration of perseverance. After a long, difficult season of tumult, anxiety and loss, maybe it’s exactly what we all need
2020 was a year like no other. Although it understandably wasn’t top of mind, the competitive spelling world also suffered the disruptive consequences of the pandemic. The Scripps National Spelling Bee – which only the second world war had previously cancelled – became a casualty of Covid-19, despite pleas for organizers to find a virtual work-around or at least extend eligibility for unfortunate eighth graders who lost their final chance to compete.
Related: National Spelling Bee adds vocabulary and lightning-round tiebreaker for 2021
Related: How to build a spelling bee champion
Scott Remer is a professional spelling bee tutor, freelance writer, and the author of the textbook Words of Wisdom: Keys to Success in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
