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On Track: The Scripps National Spelling Bee

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The bee with local roots has a Louisville student in the running this year.

The 100th Scripps National Spelling Bee is happening this week, and Meyzeek Middle School eighth grader Zachary Luke Rara is heading to Washington D.C. to compete. He’s part of a legacy; the very first Scripps winner was from Louisville, and the Courier Journal was a big part of the Bee’s origins.

We’ll hear from Zachary about why he loves language, and how he prepares to compete on the national stage. And Corrie Loeffler, the Scripps National Spelling Bee’s executive director, joins us to talk about what’s changed in a century of spelling, and what the Bee means to its competitors and alums. We spell it all out for you on this episode.

On Track: Scripps National Spelling Bee