Spellers shine under Artis Center Main Stage lights during regional bee

With correct spellings in the 12th and 13th rounds of competition, Rory Grant, a seventh-grader at William Byrd Middle School in Vinton, secured his spot to stand alongside the nation’s top spellers in May’s Scripps National Spelling Bee by winning Radford University’s regional bee on Saturday, March 22.

The win left Grant in a state of shock.

“You seemed to be confident the whole time as I watched you from backstage,” city of Radford Mayor David Horton said to Grant on stage. “So, you get to go to the national spelling bee coming up in May - what are you most excited about?” 

“I honestly have no idea,” Grant said. 

“I went into this thinking, ‘I’m a good speller, I’m not as good as the rest, I don’t think I’m gonna win but I’m gonna get far.’ I was mistaken.”

Radford University will sponsor Grant’s participation in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which is celebrating its 100th year. The bee will be held at the Gaylord National Conference center near Washington, D.C., May 27-29.

For the second straight year, Radford University served as a regional bee partner, one of over 200 partners across the nation that host regional spelling bees. Twenty-seven competitors from schools across Southwest Virginia, ranging from 4th to 8th grade, participated in an event supported by faculty, staff, and students from across the university. 

“This is a team effort, and a lot of people across campus helped to coordinate it and host it,” said Debora Bays Wilbon, Associate Dean of the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). 

Wilbon coordinated the team that brought the bee to life. Horton, who also serves as communications officer for the Artis College of Science and Technology, was both the emcee of the event and a chief source of encouragement for the participants. Associate Professor of Psychology Stirling Barfield performed the role of bee pronouncer, and judges included CEHD Dean Tamara Wallace, Honors College Director Niels Christiansen, and CEHD faculty members Katie Clouse and Brian Kitts. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Bethany Usher provided welcoming remarks. 

The bee was a showcase for Radford’s facilities and offered young learners a glimpse into university life during a busy weekend on the main campus. 

For the first time, the bee was held on the Artis Center Main Stage, a 500-seat state-of-the-art auditorium in Radford University’s newest academic building. Post-competition, spellers and their families were able to enjoy the events of Highlander Day, where a record number of admitted students saw and experienced Radford’s main campus.