Ved Raju: Colorado’s Scripps Spelling Bee Hopeful
- A Colorado student's journey at the Scripps National Spelling Bee concluded Wednesday after an unfortunate misspelling of a common culinary term.
- Li, sponsored by the Boulder Valley School District, was eliminated in the sixth round of the national competition held outside Washington, D.C.
- Ved Raju, a 12-year-old seventh-grader from Aurora Quest K-8, successfully spelled "apoptosis" in the same round.
Ved Raju of Colorado advances in the Scripps National Spelling Bee! A Colorado student’s impressive run continues as Blanche Li is eliminated in the sixth round after misspelling “taqueria.” Now, Ved raju is poised to represent Colorado in the final rounds on Thursday. This year’s national spelling bee has fewer than 50 spellers remaining. Get ready as Ved Raju aims for the championship, correctly spelling words to win. News Directory 3 is following Ved’s progress. Will he be crowned the spelling bee champion? Discover what’s next for Ved Raju in the national spelling competition.
Colorado Student’s Spelling Bee Run Ends on “Taqueria”
Updated May 28, 2025
A Colorado student’s journey at the Scripps National Spelling Bee concluded Wednesday after an unfortunate misspelling of a common culinary term. Blanche Li,a 14-year-old eighth-grader representing Boulder’s Summit Middle School,stumbled on “taqueria,” the word for a Mexican resturant specializing in tacos.
Li, sponsored by the Boulder Valley School District, was eliminated in the sixth round of the national competition held outside Washington, D.C. While one colorado speller’s journey ended, another continued.
Ved Raju, a 12-year-old seventh-grader from Aurora Quest K-8, successfully spelled “apoptosis” in the same round. According to Merriam-Webster, ”apoptosis” refers to a genetically driven process of cell self-destruction. Raju is sponsored by the Denver Post.
As of Wednesday morning, fewer than 50 spellers remained in the competition, which began Tuesday with over 240 participants. The national spelling bee is set to conclude with the final rounds on Thursday, determining the ultimate spelling bee champion.
What’s next
The Scripps National Spelling Bee will continue with the final rounds on Thursday, where the remaining contestants will compete for the championship title. Ved Raju will represent colorado as he aims to correctly spell his way to victory in the national spelling competition.