Spelling His Victory: 8th Grader Reed Laursen Advances to Scripps National Spelling Bee Competition

Reed Laursen, an 8th grader at Red Jacket Middle School, has made history by winning the Regional Spelling Bee at the Palmyra-Macedon Performing Arts Center. After competing fiercely against top spellers from across the region, Reed sealed his victory by correctly spelling “asthmatic” in the final round, claiming first place!

Reed’s journey to this moment began when he won the Red Jacket Spelling Bee on March 7th, earning a spot in the regional competition. Now, with this impressive victory under his belt, Reed is set to take the stage at the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee in National Harbor, Maryland, from May 27–29. There, he will compete against the nation's brightest young spellers for the coveted Scripps Cup, marking the culmination of months of dedication and hard work.

This isn’t Reed’s first visit to the D.C. area this year—just a month ago, he was there on the 8th Grade Field Trip, experiencing the nation’s capital. Now, he’ll be back with a new mission: to prove himself as one of the best spellers in the country!

When asked what it means to him to represent the Red Jacket community on the national stage, Reed said, “When I first decided to take part in the spelling bee, I wasn't really expecting much, but now it feels really cool to be able to represent my school.”

Reed is continuing a strong tradition at Red Jacket—he is the third student from the district to advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee since 2018. He follows in the footsteps of Anna Penird (2018) and Tyler Wagner (2022), both of whom also represented Red Jacket on the national stage.

“We couldn’t be prouder of Reed’s remarkable achievement,” said Principal Terry Febrey. “His dedication and hard work have paid off, and we’re thrilled to see him represent Red Jacket Middle School on such a prestigious national stage.”

The Scripps National Spelling Bee, known as the largest and longest-running educational competition in the country, brings together the best spellers from all over the United States and beyond. Reed’s path to this incredible opportunity highlights the perseverance, focus, and passion he has for his academic pursuits. As he prepares to face some of the best spellers in the world, we’ll be cheering him on every step of the way!