Middle School Student From Somers Wins State Spelling Bee ... Again

WEST HARTFORD, CT — For the second time in three years, Nathan Settevendemie of Somers is the Connecticut Spelling Bee champion, and will represent the state at the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Maryland in late May. On top of that, his triumph Sunday afternoon marked the third time in four years that the winner has emerged from the same household.

A total of 62 outstanding spellers from across Connecticut entered the Hoffman Auditorium at the University of Saint Joseph with hopes of becoming state champion.

Settevendemie, an eighth-grade student at Mabelle B. Avery Middle School, took to the microphone 13 times during the competition. He tackled words like “catalepsy” and “batamote” before correctly spelling his winning word, “polonaise.”

In the seventh round, Audrey Switzer of Booth Hill Elementary School in Shelton earned third place. In the 12th round, last year's champion, Hayden Hughes of Newtown, clinched second place.

Settevendemie, 13, is the son of Stephanie and Peter Settevendemie. He won the state title in 2023, and wound up third last year. He has followed in the footsteps of his sister, Julia, who won the statewide competition in 2022 and placed 49th nationally.

His next step is a return trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee May 26-29 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Port Washington, Maryland.

"He has worked so hard, and we couldn't be more proud of him," Stephanie Settevendemie told Patch. "He is hoping to make it to the final round this year to have a chance of achieving his ultimate goal, which is to win. He has worked extremely hard throughout his middle school career, learning the roots, stems and origins of words, in order to be able to decode words he's never seen before, as well as preparing thoroughly for the vocabulary rounds which are also part of the Bee."

This will be his final opportunity at the national level, as he ages out by entering high school this fall, his mom said.

Mabelle B. Avery Middle School principal Margot Martello told Patch, "We are so proud of Nathan at MBA. We have seen him work so hard not only in his studies across the board, but also specifically for the honor of being a spelling bee champion. His hard work has brought him to the top of the state, and we all stand behind him in support as he takes on the National Spelling Bee title. It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know and work with Nate - such an exceptional and gifted student - through his years at MBA."

Costs of the trip are supported by the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society, which has conducted the Connecticut bee for eight years.

Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society executive director Jeffrey Mainville said, "The Noah Webster House is proud of each speller that made it to the state competition this year. We would like to extend a special thank you to PeoplesBank for their support, and also to our competition officials who volunteered their time. We will be rooting for Nathan at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May."

Scripps estimates around 11 million students participate in the spelling program each year.