Returning champions and new entrants take top spots in annual Bee

Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN) welcomed spellers from across the country to its global headquarters for the final rounds of the annual K12 National Spelling Bee last week. The only national bee taking place entirely online – until last week’s final – and the only national bee open to high school students, the 2023 K12 National Spelling Bee included hundreds of competitors from across the U.S., including returning champions and first-time entrants.

Students in grades 3-12 competed for a spot in the finals beginning in January with local, state, and regional spelling competitions. All early rounds of the K12 Spelling Bee take place as live virtual events open to any student who chooses to compete, regardless of their location or where they attend school.

This year’s winners are Ilyannie Robelle Gonzalez of Washington Virtual Academy (elementary school); Nathaniel Hersey of Virginia Virtual Academy (middle school); and Marina Ly of Blanson CTE High School in Houston (high school). The national champions at the elementary, middle, and high school levels each received a $2,500 Amazon gift card and a Microsoft Surface tablet.

Highlights of this year’s competition:

• The gathered finalists hailed from 20 online and brick-and-mortar schools in 14 states, including 16 K12-powered online schools.
• Elementary school champion Ilyannie Gonzalez is a three-time K12 Spelling Bee finalist
• Middle school champion Nathaniel Hersey of Arlington, Virginia, also competed in the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee, making it to the semi-finals earlier this month.

“The K12 National Spelling Bee provides a truly inclusive platform for any student to compete on a national stage,” said Karen Ghidotti, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience at Stride. “The Spelling Bee is another example of how Stride has unlocked learning for millions of students, giving them the kind of innovative tools they need to succeed.”

In addition to the full- and part-time online and blended K-12 learning opportunities offered to learners across the U.S., Stride is committed to creating engaging extracurricular opportunities and experiences for students. Along with the K12 National Spelling Bee, Stride hosts national clubs, competitions, and other enrichment programs designed to offer learners nationwide educational and entrepreneurial opportunities.

About Stride, Inc.

At Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN), we are reimagining learning—where learning is lifelong, deeply personal, and prepares learners for tomorrow. The company has transformed millions of people’s teaching and learning experiences by providing innovative, high-quality, tech-enabled education solutions, curriculums, and programs directly to students, schools, the military, and enterprises in primary, secondary, and postsecondary settings. Stride is a premier provider of K–12 education for students, schools, and districts, including career learning services through middle and high school curriculums. For adult learners, Stride delivers professional skills training in healthcare and technology, as well as staffing and talent development for Fortune 500 companies. Stride has delivered millions of courses over the past decade and serves learners in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. More information can be found at stridelearning.com, K12.com, galvanize.com, techelevator.com, and medcerts.com.

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