Aliyah Alpert wins the 2022 Arizona Spelling Bee

Aliyah Alpert, a 6th grader from Alpert Homeschool, has out-spelled 26 other competitors to win the 2022 Arizona Spelling Bee hosted by the Arizona Educational Foundation on Saturday, March 19, 2022. Aliyah correctly spelled the word “foudroyant” in the 29th round to win the bee.

Top 5 Arizona State Spelling Bee Winners for 2022:

• 1st Place – Aliyah Alpert – Yavapai County, attends Alpert Homeschool.
• 2nd Place – Srihaas Ghanta – Maricopa Region 5, attends Trivium Preparatory Academy in Great Hearts Academies.
• 3rd Place – Vibhav Athreya – Maricopa Region 1, attends BASIS Ahwatukee in BASIS Charter Schools.
• 4th Place – Jacob Sajan – Maricopa Region 2, attends Highland Lakes School in the Deer Valley Unified School District.
• 5th Place – Ethan Greenwood – Maricopa Region 4, attends Coyote Hills Elementary School in the Peoria Unified School District.

This year’s Arizona Spelling Bee was held in person at Madison Performing Arts Center in Phoenix. Spellers competed against each other from different school locations across the state. It is the 24th year the event is being coordinated by the Arizona Educational Foundation. All Arizona schools including public, private, charter, and homeschools are eligible to compete.

“It’s thrilling and inspiring to see the dedication and determination of these students,” stated Dr. Teresa Hill, the coordinator of the Arizona state Spelling Bee. “Being a champion speller takes thousands of hours of hard work, and it’s exciting to see all of the students showcasing their talents at the bee.”

This year, the Arizona Educational Foundation, who is the official State Spelling Bee coordinator, was the recipient of a $20,000 grant from Thunderbirds Charities to support the Arizona State Spelling Bee. “We are proud to once again support AEF’s Arizona State Spelling Bee,” said Scott Jenkins, Thunderbirds Charities President. “This annual event reinforces their self-confidence and how reading and writing can be fun and rewarding. We look forward to seeing this year’s participants and celebrating their success.”

Each year the student who wins the State Spelling Bee goes on to represent Arizona as the official State Champion in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The Scripps National Spelling Bee will be held in Washington D.C., and ION will televise the Semifinals on June 1, and the Finals on June 2.

A video recording of the spelling bee will be uploaded to the Arizona Educational Foundation’s YouTube channel and website the week following the bee.