Thirteen-year-old Aditi Muthukumar of Westminster has made her return to the Scripps National Spelling Bee stage.
Aditi tied for 74th place during the 2023 bee. Now in eighth grade, she is representing Hulstrom K-8 in Northglenn in the 2024 national spelling bee.
"We know that she sacrifices a lot," said Muthukumar Konar, Aditi's father. "There are times when her friends would be doing stuff, but she's studying. But she has never complained. She knows that what she's doing is gonna help her a lot."
Aditi studies using a large dictionary. Her little sister Aadhya, successful in her own right, competed against Aditi in a regional spelling bee.
In addition to balancing life as an older sister and spelling bee contestant, Aditi is a leader at her school. She is the student council president and she was selected as a National Junior Honor Society Outstanding Achievement Award winner.
Additionally, Aditi plays the flute and performs Indian classical dance.
"I've been doing Indian classical dance since I was five," she said. "It's also helped me overcome my stage fright in other areas. Like, the spelling bee and dance almost go hand in hand, although you wouldn't think so."
Hear more from her in our interview below.
Aditi also spends her time doing community service. She frequently tutors other students, and enjoys the feeling of helping them learn something new.
"You feel like you've almost unlocked something in your brain, and suddenly you have all this potential," she said.
In addition to competing, Aditi will also participate in Bee Week, a week-long experience for spellers and their families that includes special events, educational workshops, excursions into Washington, D.C., and more.
More than 250 spellers participated in this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee, including Cooper Edwards of Niwot.
