Scripps National Spelling Bee: The PG County Contestants

The 92nd annual Scripps National Spelling Bee is nearly here and Prince George's County whiz kids plan to compete this year -- and they won't have to travel far, considering the event is held right here in the county. More than 560 children from all 50 states will vie for a shot at becoming the nation’s preeminent speller.

Preliminary multiple-choice tests will be held Monday, May 27. Onstage spelling competitions will be held all day the following Tuesday and Wednesday, with finalists competing Thursday, May 30. No more than 50 spellers will advance to the finals Thursday.

Interested viewers can watch every word Wednesday on the Watch ESPN app. On Thursday, finalists will begin spelling on stage at 10 a.m. Eastern Time and this part of the competition will air live on ESPN 2. After the field is narrowed down to roughly a dozen finalists, ESPN will air the spelling bee finals live Thursday night.

The event will be held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland right here in Prince George's County -- meaning our contestants will have home field advantage, so to speak. The champion will receive a $50,000 prize.

Here are the contestants from Prince George's County:

• Alyssa Burgos
• Age: 14
• Grade: 8
• Speller number: 96
• Town: College Park
• School: Holy Redeemer School
• Michael Kittredge
• Age: 13
• Grade: 7
• Speller number: 181
• Town: Laurel
• School: Murray Hill Middle School
• Kristin Milburn
• Age: 11
• Grade: 6
• Speller number: 207
• Town: Laurel
• School: St. Mary of the Mills School

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.