District 15 student returning to Scripps National Spelling Bee
Plum Grove Junior High School student Calvin Franke will be making a return appearance at the Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington, D.C.
Calvin is an eighth-grader at the Rolling Meadows school, which is part of Palatine Township Elementary District 15. He recently won the state spelling bee, catapulting him to the national competition starting May 27.
It'll be the second consecutive year Calvin participates in the national bee. In 2018, he and eight other Chicago-area students were among 26 top regional spellers from Illinois in the field of 519.
Calvin is leaving quite a legacy for his spelling prowess at District 15. In addition to his two state wins, Calvin is a five-time school spelling bee champion and a three-time District 15 victor.
The national competition begins May 27 with a preliminary test at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.
Onstage spelling for the Scripps National Spelling Bee is set for May 28. The last day of competition May 30 will be on ESPN2 and ESPN.