COCKEYSVILLE – After a grueling one and a half hours and 200 words, the 2025 archdiocesan schools spelling bee ended with an unusual twist: the contest ran out of prepared words.
With four contestants still in the running, organizers of the contest – staffers from the Archdiocese of Baltimore Department of Catholic Schools and Catholic Review Media – paused and went to an alternate list of words from the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Within a few more rounds, the winners were decided.
For the third year in a row, Meqdim Abera, from Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Ellicott City, took first place. This will be his final year for the contest, since it is open to fourth through sixth graders in archdiocesan schools, and he won each time he entered.
Madelyn George, of St. John the Evangelist School, Severna Park, placed second.
Two more spellers tied for third place, dropping out in the same round: Elliana Meulemans from Monsignor Slade Catholic School in Glen Burnie and Nehemiah Zu from Resurrection-St. Paul School in Ellicott City shared the honors.
All the winners received a plaque from Catholic Review Media and a backpack with prizes from Raising Canes, a restaurant chain that arrived in Maryland in January 2023. Each of the 24 contestants also received a Raising Cane’s gift certificate.
The spelling bee was hosted by St. Joseph School in Cockeysville. At the bee, Dr. Donna Hargens, who is retiring at the end of the school year as superintendent of Catholic Schools, was honored for her service.
Judges for the Mbee came from the Department of Catholic Schools – Cailin Seirafipour, director of Instruction and Professional Development, and Julie Dellone, senior curriculum development specialist – and Blake McCoy, advertising account executive at Catholic Review Media. Chistopher Gunty, associate publisher and editor of Catholic Review Media, was the emcee and pronouncer.
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