MUNCIE, IND. — Leo Furlong, from Burris Laboratory Middle School in Muncie, is the champion of the 2025 Ball State PBS Regional Spelling Bee.

Furlong’s winning word was “leviathan.”

The competition, involving 41 spellers from 29 area school systems, lasted eight rounds.

The runner-up is Christopher Li from Heritage Hall Christian Middle School in Muncie.

Spellers competed at Sursa Hall on March 8 in the competition that will be broadcast on Ball State PBS at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 3, and at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 5. It will also be streamed on the Ball State Public Media mobile app and the PBS App.

Felicia Gray, an educator from Burris Laboratory School and the 2019 PBS KIDS Early Learning Champion, served as the pronouncer for the competition.

The judges — tasked with tracking every word and verifying spelling accuracy — were Stephanie Wiechmann, IPR managing editor and “All Things Considered” host, and Kay Stickle, former elementary teacher and professor at Ball State Teachers College. Spellers studied Words of the Champions, the 4,000-word list provided by the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Furlong now advances to compete in the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee this summer near Washington, D.C. The semifinals and finals will be May 27-29, 2025.

In addition to qualifying for the national competition, Furlong also wins these prizes:

• The Samuel Louis Sugarman Award is a 2023 United States Mint Proof Set provided by Jay Sugarman, chairman and CEO of iStar Financial, in honor of his father. Ulrey will receive the prize in the summer.
• The Britannica Online Premium is a one-year subscription for the premier online resource from Encyclopædia Britannica.
• The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online is a one-year subscription for the official word source for all levels of competition for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

• Ball State PBS Spelling Bee Champion Trophy, Ray Ban Sunglasses with case from Family Vision Care, $75 Visa gift card from Sam Pierce Chevrolet, $25 gift card from Dave’s Video Muncie, $25 gift certificate from Culver’s of Muncie, and a Ball State University Teachers College prize pack.

“This was a great spelling bee with fantastic spellers from all over the region. It was fun watching them think through their words and do so great!” said Ashley Mann, Spelling Bee Director and Community Education Manager at Ball State PBS.

Ball State PBS has sponsored the regional bee event for nine years. The competition encourages the exploration of words and lifelong curiosity, with a focus on helping students set goals and dedicate time to study and prepare. Participation in the bee program also provides an opportunity for students to gain experience in public speaking and poise under pressure.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee provides the list of words for the regional competition. The Bee reaches millions of students across the country and in other parts of the world with the classroom materials it provides to enrolled schools.

The Ball State PBS Regional Spelling Bee is presented by Family Vision Care. The school fees sponsor is Ball State University Teachers College. The Championship word sponsor is Muncie Optimist Club.

Additional support provided by Avila Orthodontics, Wilhoite Family Dental, Masters Insurance, The Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities, Sam Pierce Chevrolet, and Scott E. Trout DDS.

About Ball State PBS:

A PBS Member station licensed to Ball State University, Ball State PBS serves an audience of nearly 1.5 million people across 27 counties of east central Indiana and western Ohio. Ball State PBS connects people to educational experiences and trusted stories. Visit ballstatepbs.org for more information.

About the Scripps National Spelling Bee:

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the nation’s largest and longest-running educational program, having launched in 1925. Visit spellingbee.com for more information about the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which is administered on a not-for-profit basis by The E.W. Scripps Company.