On March 26, the Brauntex Theatre will host approximately 140 elementary and middle school students from 18 counties for the regional spelling bee.

The champion of The Brauntex Bee will progress to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., and win four tickets to Schlitterbahn Waterpark. All regional spellers will receive a guest pass to Stars & Stripes Drive-In Movie Theatre, and spellers who advance to the finals will receive multiple passes to Natural Bridge Caverns.

The Brauntex first hosted the regional spelling bee in 2021 after the San Antonio Express News did not renew its sponsorship agreement with Scripps for the competition, according to a press release from the theater.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, students from 87 area schools participated in the 2021 competition. This year 149 schools will be represented.

On the day of the competition, contestants will take a timed written test as a district-level qualifier, according to the press release. The top speller from each registered school district will advance to the stage for a traditional oral spelling bee in the afternoon.


The top speller from each home school, private school and charter school will also advance to the final round.

Registration begins at 9 a.m., and the final spelling bee is set to begin at 2 p.m. Visit www.brauntex.org for more information.