The Sun News Regional Spelling Bee title up for grabs

Hannah “Gracie” Benton is preparing to defend her title in this year’s The Sun News Regional Spelling Bee on Tuesday.

The 28th annual spelling bee features 54 elementary and middle school students from Horry and Georgetown counties who will vie for the chance to represent the Grand Strand at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

This year’s bee will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Myrtle Beach High School auditorium. The event is free and will be broadcast live on MyrtleBeachOnline.com.

Benton, a Conway Middle School student, won last year after 10 rounds and three hours of competition; this year is her third time competing for the regional title.

The winner receives an all-expense paid trip funded by The Sun News and The Sun News Educational Foundation for themselves and a chaperone to attend the National Spelling Bee May 22-27. Other champion prizes: Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, the Samuel Louis Sugarman Award, a one-year subscription to Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Premium, Valerie’s Spelling Bee Supplement from Hexco Academic and a trophy from The Sun News.

First runner-up receives a Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Valerie’s Spelling Bee Supplement from Hexco Academic and a trophy from The Sun News.

All contestants will receive a trophy recognizing them as champions of their local school’s spelling bee, compliments of The Sun News and The Sun News Educational Foundation, and numerous prizes and passes to local attractions.

This year’s youngest speller is 8-year-old Asher Mezzatesta from Pleasant Hill Elementary. He’s competing against five 14 year olds, who are the oldest to participate in the bee. The competition is open to individual school winners from third through eighth grade.

This story was originally published March 5, 2016 at 11:09 AM with the headline "The Sun News Regional Spelling Bee title up for grabs."