2024 Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas State Spelling Bee Slated for March 9

This year more than 85,000 students from 426 schools across 56 counties participated in local spelling bees. A qualifying student from each of the 56 counties will participate in the 2024 Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas State Spelling Bee on Saturday, March 9 at the Arkansas 4-H Center in Little Rock. The public is invited to attend the event.

The Arkansas winner will proceed to The Scripps National Spelling Bee, the nation’s largest and longest-running educational program. The 2023 Arkansas State Spelling Bee Champion was Zeeshan Mahmud Anower of Sebastian County. In 2023 Anower and second place finisher Matt Brodbent of Cross County had a more than 20-round spelling duel to determine the state champ. Third place winner was Carter Metcalf of Marion County. Both Anower and Metcalf are returning this year to compete for the champion title.

The purpose of the Scripps National Spelling Bee is to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts and develop correct English usage that will help them throughout their lives.

Learn more about the Arkansas State Spelling Bee at: www.aecc.com/spellingbee

The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas comprise 17 electric distribution cooperatives; Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI), a Little Rock-based cooperative that provides services to the distribution cooperatives; and Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. (AECC), a generation and transmission cooperative. The distribution cooperatives provide electricity to approximately 600,000 homes, farms and businesses in Arkansas and surrounding states.