A seventh grader at Robert Frost Middle School, Lauren Merillana, earned her way to the national stage for the 2025 Scripps Spelling Bee held at the end of May.
The 13-year-old loves to read and enjoys playing armchair detective while reading mystery and thriller novels. She likes to express herself through writing short stories.
She’s into logic games and puzzles as well as swimming, playing the flute, digital design and programming using Python.
Her favorite things include tapioca sponge cake, the color pink, her cat Hollie and using Vocaloid, a singing synthesizer software. Her favorite song is Lagtrain by INABAKUMORI and Kaai Yuki. She also enjoys the musician, Chevy, and playing “Genshin Impact.”
She is sponsored by The Meakem Group, a financial advisor and wealth planning company in Bethesda.
The preliminary round begins Tuesday, May 27. The quarterfinals will be the morning of May 28, followed by the semifinals that evening.
The finals will be held the evening of May 29.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor. It will be aired on ION TV.
