Disha Jain
Disha Jain of Owen J. Roberts Middle School won first place in the 2025 Chester County Spelling Bee on Monday.
Jain spelled her way to victory with the winning word “mademoiselle.” Her victory qualifies her to represent Chester County this spring at the 100th Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in National Harbor, MD.
“The moment I realized I won, I was overwhelmed with emotions,” said Jain. “I was excited and honestly a little shocked; I was not expecting to get this far… I felt really happy in that moment.”
Also placing in this year’s spelling bee was Santosh Kandasamy of G. A. Stetson Middle School, Akshara Patil of Lionville Middle School, and Vrishank Cherukuri of Great Valley Middle School, who all tied for second place. Varun Desai of Charles F. Patton Middle School placed third.
“The Chester County Spelling Bee is more than a competition; it’s a platform for developing critical thinking skills,” said Jay Della Ragione, special events coordinator for the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU), who organized the event. “We’re nurturing intellectual discipline and building confidence while helping students expand their vocabulary. These participants demonstrate remarkable dedication in honing their linguistic abilities.”
Each student earned the invitation to compete in the Chester County Spelling Bee by achieving first place in their sending school’s spelling bee. Nearly 40 students competed in this year’s event and spelled their way through more than 135 words.
When asked what the hardest word was for her to spell, Jain answered, “I had to spell the word ‘internecine’ and at first it seemed difficult, but then I got clues from the pronouncer about the definition and origin.” She went on to explain that even if she wasn’t sure about the spelling of a word, she gave it a try anyway. “Say what you think is correct,” she said.
Jain prepared for this event by studying the provided materials, writing the words down, memorizing them, and going back to restudy words that posed a particular challenge. Her advice to future spelling bee participants emphasized practice and poise.
“Practice is important; knowing most of the words, their origins, and definitions can help when spelling a tough word. But confidence and remaining calm is key.” She explained that deep breathing and positive thoughts helped her keep a level head during the event, helping her maintain the confidence to succeed.
As spelling bee champion, Jain received a one-year subscription to Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online, a one-year subscription to the Encyclopedia Britannica Online (Student Edition), a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card, and a Scrabble board game. The second-place winners each received a Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary (11th Edition), a $35 Barnes & Noble gift card, and a Bananagrams game; the third-place winner received a $20 Barnes & Noble gift card and a Bananagrams game.
The Chester County Spelling Bee is a qualifying competition for the Scripps National Spelling Bee, where competitors from across the country gather to spell their way to the top. The 2025 Chester County Spelling Bee was coordinated by the CCIU and sponsored by CCRES Educational and Behavioral Health Services and Baldwin’s Book Barn.
To learn more about the Chester County Spelling Bee, visit www.cciu.org/spelling-bee
