The 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee, which began with preliminary rounds at DAR Constitution Hall, Washington's largest dedicated concert venue, has faced logistical hurdles and security concerns due to the construction of an outdoor octagon on the South Lawn of the White House.
EntertainmentVictoria Li, 12, of Eastvale, Calif. , spells his word during the preliminary round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee at DAR Constitution Hall, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Washington .
Logan Cox, 14, of Homestead, Fla. , spells his word as he competes during the preliminary round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee at DAR Constitution Hall, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Washington. Keona-Dannette Osae-Twum, 13, of Waldwick, N.J. ,, spells her word as she competes during the preliminary round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee at DAR Constitution Hall, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Washington.
Oliver Halkett, 14, Los Angeles, Calif. , competes during the first preliminary round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Washington. Yahya Mohammed, 14, of Hoffman Estates, Ill. , competes during the first preliminary round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Washington.
Victoria Li, 12, of Eastvale, Calif. , spells his word during the preliminary round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee at DAR Constitution Hall, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Washington. moved this year to a grand stage befitting the stakes of the competition: Constitution Hall, Washington's largest dedicated concert venue.
“I feel like they should not have moved it. The old venue was better. Because it's a bit of a hassle, getting on the bus and going there and then coming back,” said 14-year-old Yahya Mohammed, a three-time speller from Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
“The old venue was more spacious, and it feels kind of isolated in the hotel. ”began with Tuesday's preliminary rounds, spellers and their families marveled at the historical significance of their new venue and the nearby cultural opportunities while also dealing with logistical hurdles: crowded hallways, limited dining options and shuttle bus rides to and from their hotel.
Built in 1929 by the Daughters of the American Revolution, Constitution Hall sits a few blocks from the Washington Monument and the White House. Spellers and their families are staying at the nearby J.W. Marriott, a favored haunt of lobbyists and interest groups, and the quickest route to the competition venue would normally be a stroll across the Ellipse, the grassy expanse south of the Executive Mansion.
However, the Ellipse is surrounded by temporary fencing and security checkpoints as crews construct an outdoor octagon on the South Lawn of the White House for, a June 14 event timed for President Donald Trump's 80th birthday and marking the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.
“Two very disparate forms of entertainment,” said Rajeev Malhotra of Boston, the father of speller Rajeev Malhotra, describing the bee and theSecurity was beefed up at the hall, with guards and metal detectors stationed at every entrance and explosive-sniffing dogs patrolling the hallways. Three blocks away and three days earlier, a man opened fire at a White House security checkpoint, At the prior venue, the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland, spellers moved freely throughout the building, roaming between their hotel rooms, the ballroom that housed the competition stage and a massive food court where they grabbed quick meals between last-minute study sessions.
“Last year was better,” said Arpit Aggarwal of Columbia, Missouri, whose daughter, Ananya, is competing for the second time. “Everything was in one place. ”Other spellers appreciated the buzz of gathering downtown, saying it was more appropriate for a national competition. The bee began in 1925 and was held at a series of Washington hotels before it moved to the suburbs in 2011.
“I just love being here, right next to the National Mall. You can see the Smithsonian, you can see the Jefferson Memorial. It's such a lively and unique city and I love being in the heart of it,” said three-time speller Oliver Halkett, a 14-year-old from Los Angeles.
“There's so much history, there's so much culture. The memorials and the museums are fascinating to go to. ” Speller Andie Seavey of Fairbanks, Alaska, and her mom, Kristin, went to see the musical “The Great Gatsby” at the National Theater next door to the hotel.
After 80 spellers were eliminated Tuesday during onstage spelling and vocabulary rounds, the remaining 167 competitors reconvened at the hotel for a high-stakes written test that determined the 100 or so who would move on to Wednesday morning's quarterfinals. The competition concludes Thursday night.even though he misspelled a word and heard the dreaded bell rung by head judge Mary Brooks. In fact, he knew it after a few letters. He stopped spelling and told Brooks, “Just ring the bell.
” Faizan's flub let his two remaining competitors back in, since all three misspelled during the round. Kushi Gottimukkala of Morrisville, North Carolina, is one of a few spellers competing this year who know what that feels like.it was down to Kushi and two other spellers for the final spot at nationals. She misspelled “anchialine,” and she thought it was over, only to see the other two spellers mess up.
“I was still thinking about the mistake, but I was also really grateful that I got a second chance, and so I took that into consideration and decided to focus on my next word,” she said. Oliver Halkett, too, has competed in a bee where he got a word wrong but wasn't eliminated. He battled through the disappointment by focusing only on the word in front of him.
“It's a peculiar situation, but I think, above all, mental clarity is so important, especially in those latter rounds,” he said. “I close my eyes and do some deep breathing and I visualize the word, and it's just me and the word. That's how you have to approach every single word. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press.
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