Regional Spelling Bee winner declared

North Cook Intermediate Service Center (ISC)/Regional Office of Education #5 in Des Plaines congratulates Avyay Kodali, a seventh-grader from Plum Grove Jr. High School in Rolling Meadows (Community Consolidated School District 15), who was declared the winner of the Scripps Regional Spelling Bee. He will compete in the National Spelling Bee in the Washington, D.C., area Memorial Day week.

The 12th annual Scripps Regional Spelling Bee was held March 29, at Triton College in River Grove, with students from North Cook, South Cook, and West 40 Intermediate Service Centers competing. Avyay was declared champ following 15 rounds of challenging words.

In a true show of collaboration and support, Calvin Franke, a 2019 North Cook area spelling bee winner also from Plum Grove Jr. High School, was Avyay's coach this year.

Corporate sponsors Pepper Construction and Wight & Company will provide an all-expense paid trip for the regional champion and one parent to attend the National Scripps Spelling Bee competition held during the week of Memorial Day at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. The finals will be televised on ION on June 2, 2022.

About North Cook ISC

There are a total of 39 school districts within the North Cook region, 32 elementary and seven high school districts, as well as two special education co-operatives. It serves more than 900 public school administrators, almost 11,000 teachers, and 147,000 students. For more information, see www.ncisc.org.