Wheaton, IL, March 3, 2025— Twenty DuPage County spellers competed in one of the longest Spelling Bees the DuPage Regional Office of Education (ROE) has ever hosted. The 2025 Regional Spelling Bee Final lasted 26 rounds, with Granger Middle School student Shruthi Ayyagari finishing on top.
“This was one of the most intense spelling bees the ROE has ever hosted, and it seems fitting on the 100th anniversary of the first National Spelling Bee,” said Dr. Vickie Trotter, the assistant regional superintendent of DuPage schools.
The last half of the Bee was a spell-down between Shruthi and anotherspeller from Granger Middle School in Aurora, Drhuv Kaligotla. Finally, the 2nd-place finisher, Drhuv misspelled “cauliflower,” and Shruthi correctly spelled “Massachusetts.” Shruthi was declared the DuPage Regional Champion and was awarded an all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. to compete against other regional champions at the National Scripps Spelling Bee on May 27, 2025.
On hand to support the spellers was Granger Middle School Principal Allen Davenport, who was thrilled that two of his students made the final two. “I was so nervous for both of them, and I can’t even imagine how stressful it was for the students,” he said.
Davenport believes spelling bees are important, even in this era of AI influenced writing and computer spellcheck programs. He explained that spelling bees help students develop a deeper understanding of language patterns and word origins, learn the value of perseverance as they prepare for the competition, and encourage public speaking and poise under pressure—skills that will serve students well in future academic and professional settings.
In addition, Davenport says spelling bees promote a sense of community and school spirit. “Spelling bees bring together students, teachers, and families in support of learning and achievement, reinforcing the idea that hard work and dedication are celebrated. In fact, the day of the district bee we did a whole school parade clap out for our two spellers,” he said.
Trotter agrees that the hard work and perseverance should be celebrated. “We are so proud of all the spellers. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to participate in the Regional Bee, and this was definitely an exciting challenge,” said Trotter. “We are thankful for our sponsors that made it possible: DuPage Credit Union; Technology Center of DuPage; Wyndalco Enterprises; and Britannica Education.”
As Shruthi continues her spelling bee journey in Washington D.C., Granger Middle School, Indian Prairie School District 204, and the DuPage Regional Office of Education are cheering her on. “All of us wish Shruthi the best of luck at the Scripps National Bee,” Trotter said.
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About the DuPage Regional Office of Education
The DuPage Regional Office of Education is a service organization whose role is to provide high quality service and support to all stakeholders and collectively expend every effort to prepare DuPage County children for the world they will face. In addition to the myriad of services provided directly to educators and schools, the office also provides services and support to community members, private schools, parents, children, business leaders, and others.