The Scripps National Spelling Bee won’t be held as scheduled this year because of the coronavirus, meaning years of preparation by some of the country’s top spellers could go for naught.
Scripps cited state and federal recommendations against large gatherings Friday as it canceled plans to hold the contest during the week of May 24. Scripps said it would try to reschedule for later this year but did not commit to a new date. It’s possible the bee won’t be held at all.
“Canceling the bee would cause an emotional breakdown for most spellers,” Navneeth Murali, a 14-year-old bee veteran from Edison, New Jersey, told The Associated Press. “It would basically be crushing their dreams.”
