In late January 2025, BASIS Charter Schools in Arizona held a network-wide spelling bee. 28 students from 14 BASIS campuses demonstrated their spelling skills in front of family, friends, and faculty.
The competition was hosted by BASIS Chandler Primary North and took place at BASIS Chandler. It was wonderful to see our students from across Arizona engage in friendly competition and show support for one another. We’re so proud of everyone who participated and look forward to cheering on our winners at regionals!
Congratulations to our winners!
The following students earned top marks in our 2025 BASIS Spelling Bee:
- 1st place: Esha M., BASIS Chandler Grade 7
- 2nd place: Henry R., BASIS Phoenix Central Grade 5
- 3rd place: Mahadev P., BASIS Scottsdale Grade 7
- 4th place: Esha S., BASIS Chandler Grade 7
These top four spellers have earned a spot in their local regional spelling bees. The top students from the regional spelling bee will move on the state competition, where they will have a chance to qualify for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. This spelling bee is the largest in the country, with participants from each state in the nation. It is held in Washington, D.C. every May.
Update: Congratulations to Esha M. from BASIS Chandler for winning first place in the 2025 Arizona State Spelling Bee! Esha competed against 27 other winners of regional spelling bees, and came out on top by correctly spelling the word “enteric.” She will be moving on to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May. Way to go, Esha!
Bringing our BASIS community together
BASIS Chandler Primary North Head of School Stephanie Terrell was honored to organize the BASIS Spelling Bee, which acted as a unique opportunity for students from different campuses to come together and compete.
“The event brought together students, teachers, and families, fostering a sense of unity and pride within the community,” says Terrell. “It also boosted school spirit by highlighting the talents of students from each campus.”
A wide range of ages were represented in the competition—our youngest competitors were in third grade and our oldest were in eighth grade.
This year, our newest school BASIS Phoenix North got to join in on the fun! “We were thrilled to be a part of such a long-standing BASIS tradition,” says Head of School Kathryn Kennedy. Our top spellers, Agasthian P. (grade 5) and Riaan K. (grade 4) were simply phenomenal. They made all of BASIS Phoenix North proud with their hard work and perseverance!”
Why spelling bees are valuable for elementary and middle school students
In 2025, the Scripps National Spelling Bee will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Nine spellers participated in the first competition, but their legacy lives on in the millions of students.
Why have spelling bees remained a staple experience of elementary schools and middle schools? Believe it or not, competing in spelling bees has lots of benefits for students!
Spelling bees push participants to spell a diverse range of words, testing their knowledge of language rules, word origins, and pronunciation. In the process of learning new words, students strengthen their reading and writing abilities.
Becoming a champion takes more than just stellar literacy skills, though—spelling bees require a solid strategy, including consistent practice, studying word patterns, and honing memory and focus. Spelling bees also teach students how to be resilient and remain confident under pressure.
We love holding spelling bees at BASIS Charter Schools, and we look forward to keeping this tradition going! If you’re interested in joining our tuition-free public school network, we invite you to find a BASIS Charter School near you and take a tour. Our friendly staff will be happy to show you around and give you a first-hand look into what makes our schools unique.
Our spelling bee is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to community events! Visit our Student Life page to learn more about what your child could experience at BASIS.
