Scripps National Spelling Bee Podcast

Sophia Hoffman was just 11 years old when she competed in last year’s Jackson-Clay County spelling bee. She had spelled her way past all her competitors but one, seventh grader Kush Sharma. The showdown between the two would be a fateful one, and not for the faint of heart. These two mental gladiators both spelled without error for sixty-six rounds, exhausting the approved word list. Two weeks (and 29 additional rounds!) later they locked horns again and when the dust settled, Sophia had finally found her match. But that didn’t dissuade the young competitor, who is already known as one of the country’s top spellers. This year Sophia Hoffman is back at it and competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the first time. Today on the Scripps National Spelling Bee Podcast, producer Dan Bloom speaks with Sophia about her amazing experience, incredible poise, and the redemption she found this year. After listening to the show, we’ll sure you’ll be asking yourself the same thing we did: How could you not r