Nominations can be submitted here.
EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR 2025 OFFICIAL RULES
The Educator of the Year (the “Contest”) is sponsored by the Scripps National Spelling Bee (the “Bee”) and supported by Teach For America. Contest is offered only in the United States or the District of Columbia (the “Contest Area”). Void outside Contest Area and where prohibited.
Contest is subject to all federal, state and/or local laws. The Bee shall be entitled to interpret these Official Rules as needed — including but not limited to rules regarding entries, entry or other deadlines, Finalist and Grand Prize Winner selection, prize restrictions, and eligibility — and all its decisions are final and binding in all Contest-related matters. By participating, you irrevocably, fully and unconditionally agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Bee and waive any right to claim ambiguity in these Official Rules or any other Contest-related advertising or materials.
Contest starts on Jan. 30. Entry deadline is 11:59 PM Eastern Time (“ET”) on Feb. 28. The Bee’s computer is the official time-keeping device for this Contest.
TO ENTER
Beginning on Jan. 30 and ending on Feb. 28, any person (“Entrant”) wishing to nominate a potential winner may submit an Entry Form (the “Submission”) about a Nominee (defined below). Limit one (1) Submission per Entrant.
The Contest consists generally of the following three (3) phases, described in more detail below:
Phase I – Entry Period
Phase II – Finalist Interviews
Phase III – Grand Prize Winner Selection
Eligibility
To be eligible, each Entrant and Nominee must be eighteen (18) years old or older and a legal United States resident living in the Contest Area. Each Nominee must be an educator at an officially enrolled Bee school. Former Educator of the Year winners are not eligible.
Employees, associates, officers, and directors of the Bee or The E.W. Scripps Company and the members of their immediate families (defined as spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, child, and grandchild) and households, are not eligible to enter or win.
Prize
There is one grand prize (the “Prize”). The Prize consists of a $500 (five hundred US dollars) Visa gift card; roundtrip airfare to and from Washington Dulles Airport or Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport; up to 4 (four) nights at the Gaylord Hotel during the 2025 Bee (May 26 – May 30, 2025); recognition at the Bee; and a crystal award. The approximate retail value (“ARV”) is $3,000. Airfare and hotel accommodations shall only be provided during the Bee. If the Winner is not eligible to attend the Bee, the airfare and hotel portion of the Prize shall be forfeited.
Prize Restrictions
All prize details shall be at the Bee’s sole discretion. All winners assume sole responsibility for all expenses and incidental costs associated with prize not expressly included in the relevant prize description above, including without limitation, any federal, state and/or local income, sales, use or other taxes.
Actual value of travel elements or any prize component may vary, depending on departure cities, transportation means and industry or seasonal fluctuations. If the actual value of travel elements awarded is less than the ARV stated above, winner will not be entitled to any compensation or reimbursement for difference in value.
Gift card prizes or prize components are subject to all terms and conditions thereon as well as any additional limitations or restrictions imposed by issuer. Visit https://usa.visa.com for more information about Visa gift cards.
Certain travel restrictions may apply. Airfare and lodging are subject to availability, and certain blackout dates apply. All prize details are at The Bee’s sole discretion and are subject to change. The Released Parties (defined below) will not be responsible for weather conditions, Acts of God, acts of terrorism, civil disturbances, work stoppage or any other natural or man-made disaster that may cause the cancellation or postponement of the Prize. Neither The Bee, nor the Released Parties will replace any lost or stolen gift cards, travel vouchers or certificates. Once travel commences, no unscheduled stopovers are permitted; if an unscheduled stopover occurs, full fare will be charged from stopover point for the remaining segments, including return, of the trip. Neither The Bee nor the Released Parties is liable for any expenses incurred as a consequence of flight cancellation/delay. Trip may not be combined with any other offer, and travel may not qualify for frequent flyer miles. All travel and lodging will be at the risk of winner. The Bee and the Released Parties shall have no responsibility or liability for cancellations, delays, or any other change by any company or person providing any element of Prize and are not responsible or liable for any expenses incurred as a consequence thereof. Value of Prize may vary because of variations in airfare and other variables; if actual value of Prize is less than stated ARV, difference in Prize value will not be awarded.
Prizes consist of only those items specifically listed as part of the prize. The Bee reserves the right to substitute any prize with prize of equal or greater value in its sole discretion. Winner may not substitute, assign, or transfer prize or redeem prize for cash. Prize details in the sole discretion of The Bee. Prizes offered are provided “as is” with no warranty or guarantee either express or implied by The Bee. Any federal, state, and local taxes are the responsibility of the winner. Each winner will be issued a 1099-MISC tax form following the receipt of the prize for the actual retail value of the prize and will be required to provide The Bee with winner’s social security number for purposes of same. The IRS 1099-MISC Form will be submitted to the IRS for the value of the winner’s prize, and The Bee will cause a copy of any submitted 1099-MISC Form to be sent to winner’s address provided during the winner verification process. All costs associated with prize acceptance and use not specified herein as being provided, including but not limited to, in the case of winner any additional ground transportation, parking fees, luggage fees, meals, souvenirs, and gratuities are the sole responsibility of the winner.
PHASE I: ENTRY PERIOD
Entries will be accepted beginning January 30 and ending at 11:59 PM ET on Feb. 28. To submit a Nominee, you must complete each of the following steps:
Visit SUBMISSION LINK (the "Contest Page") and follow the instructions to upload your Submission and complete an official entry form with details about an outstanding Bee Coordinator (the “Nominee”) who should be recognized (the “Submission”). You may nominate yourself;
Submit the Submission and any required contact information indicated, which may include your name and contact information, the Nominee’s name, age, contact information (telephone number, mailing address, and/or e-mail address) (the “Required Information”) using the Entry Method below. Your Submission must satisfy all of the applicable “Submission Requirements” below.
This is the only method of entry. Entries will not be accepted via any other method.
IMPORTANT: MESSAGE AND/OR DATA RATES MAY APPLY TO USE OF MOBILE PHONE/DEVICE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONTEST. WIRELESS SERVICE MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE IN ALL AREAS.
Entry deadline is Feb. 28 at 11:59 PM ET. The Bee will not accept screen shots as proof of entry and proof of sending is not proof of receipt by the Bee.
Phase II: FINALIST SELECTION
Beginning on March 1 and ending on March 7, or within a reasonable time thereafter, an independent panel of qualified judges consisting of public relations personnel, Bee staff and Teach For America staff (the “Contest Judges”), will review each of the timely and properly entered Submissions and score them based on the following equally-weighted selection criteria: individual effort and dedication to the Bee; school Bee program success including enrollment, continuity, unique attributes and challenges overcome; number of nominations (the “Judging Criteria”). Subject to verification of eligibility, the three (3) Entrants whose Submissions receive the highest overall scores during the Judging Period will be declared the Finalists (each, a "Finalist").
If necessary, tied Submissions will be rejudged by the Contest Judges in accordance with the previously described judging criteria.
The Bee will contact each Finalist using the information supplied by Entrant on his/her/their entry form. Each Finalist must respond to the Bee within forty-eight (48) hours of initial notification to be eligible to win. If any Finalist cannot be contacted directly by, or does not respond to, the Bee within the time stated above, the Finalist will be disqualified and an alternate Finalist will be selected. Only three (3) Finalists will proceed to the Grand Prize Winner Selection phase (below).
Phase III – GRAND PRIZE WINNER SELECTION
Beginning March 8, the Finalists will be invited to attend Zoom interviews with the Contest Judges during this period. The Contest Judges will apply the same selection criteria as applied in the Finalist Selection but will inquire during the interviews about the specific criteria that led each Finalist to be selected (“Final Judging Criteria”). Participation in one, approximately 30-minute Zoom interview is a prerequisite to selection as Grand Prize Winner. Subject to verification of eligibility, the Finalist who receives the highest score at the conclusion of the Grand Prize Winner Selection will be declared the Grand Prize Winner. The Bee reserves the right to select fewer than the stated number of Grand Prize Winners if it does not have a sufficient number of eligible Finalists. Potential winners will be notified on or around March 14, 2025.
If necessary, tied Submissions will be rejudged by the Contest Judges in accordance with the previously described judging criteria.
Submission Requirements
Limit one (1) Submission per person. Additional entries received from any such person thereafter will be subject to disqualification. Any use of robotic, repetitive, automatic, programmed, mechanical, script, macro, or any other automated means or similar entry methods or agents (including, but not limited to, contest-entry services or multiple or different e-mail addresses or mobile devices, or the submission of false contact information under multiple or different e-mail addresses, mobile devices, identities, registrations, social media or other accounts or logins) or any other devices or artifices to enter or encourage, directly or indirectly, multiple or false entries are prohibited and suspected or detected entry method violations may void some or all entries submitted by that Entrant, in the Bee’s sole discretion. No group submissions will be accepted.
All entries must include a working daytime telephone number and valid e-mail address for the Entrant and the Nominee as well. The Bee is not responsible for voice or electronic communications that are undeliverable due to incorrect or out-of-date information provided by Entrant or Nominee or because of any form of call blocking of any kind or inability to leave a voice message, or any form of passive, or as to e-mail, active filtering of any kind or failure to enable mobile or wireless device to receive "push" notifications.
Entrants who fail to provide any Required Information may be disqualified without further notification by the Bee. The Bee is not responsible for entries that are lost, misdirected, undelivered, garbled, distorted, truncated, incomplete, illegible, incorrect or late for any reason, and all such entries are void. The Bee reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any entry at any time that in its opinion does not comply with these Official Rules. All entries become the property of the Bee and will not be returned or acknowledged.
The information that you provide in connection with the Contest may be used by the Bee in accordance with its Privacy Policy, which is found at https://spellingbee.com/privacy-policy and which may be updated from time to time.
No individuals other than Nominee and/or Entrant may be identifiable in any Submission. Submissions must not contain any other personally identifiable information regarding any third parties. Submissions must not refer to or depict any identifiable trademark, trade name, logo, or brand names other than those belonging to the Bee or Teach For America.
Each Submission must be written in English. Each Submission must be original to Entrant (not copied, adapted, or reproduced from any other source and not collaboration with any other person) or Entrant must have all necessary rights to submit the Submission in this Contest. No watermarks, signatures, or copyright notices may be added to any Submission. Submissions must not have Been previous published and must not be pending publication.
Each Submission must be appropriate for publication in a commercially distributed magazine or other generally available medium. Submissions must not depict any content, language or images that would make the Submissions inappropriate for publication to a general audience as determined by the Bee in its absolute and sole discretion. Without limiting the foregoing, Submissions that include foul language, nudity or other states of undress, graphic or excessively violent content, lewd, pornographic, obscene, indecent, hateful, tortious, illegal, defamatory, slanderous, libelous, false, or disparaging content, or that content invades any person’s privacy or other rights, or that promotes or advocates drug use, bigotry, racism, hatred, or harm against any group or individual, or that promotes discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age, or that appears to violate any third-party intellectual property rights, as determined by the Bee in its absolute and sole discretion, will be disqualified.
In the event that any claim of unauthorized use of any content contained within the Submission, is made by any third party, the Bee reserves the right to immediately terminate access to the Submissions (including on the Contest Page) and disqualify the related Submission and Entrant.
The Bee may reject any Submission that it determines has violated the Official Rules (including the Submission Requirements), or is otherwise unsuitable, offensive, or in poor taste and disqualify the accompanying Submission and Entrant at any time during the Contest, even if the Submission has already been submitted to the Contest Judges (as defined below) for consideration. You agree that the Bee has the sole discretion to decide whether any Submission satisfies these Official Rules and that its decisions are final.
Warranty/Indemnification by Entrant
By submitting your Submission, you warrant that (a) your Submission is original to and created solely by you and was not copied, in whole or in part, from any work belonging to anyone else, (b) your Submission does not violate any copyright laws, and does not plagiarize, libel, slander, defame, disparage, or otherwise infringe on or violate the rights of any third parties, (c) all persons identified in your Submission have agreed to be so identified in this Contest; (d) you are legally entitled to submit your Submission in the Contest; (e) the distribution, reproduction, display and any other uses of your Submission by the Bee as permitted herein will not infringe any third-party rights, including those of any person who is identifiable in your Submission; and (f) your Submission comply with these Official Rules.
Each Entrant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Release Parties (defined below), their parent companies and subsidiaries, and their respective officers, directors, employees and affiliated organizations, from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, costs, liabilities and causes of action of whatsoever nature that are based upon or arise out of any breach by the Entrant of these Official Rules or the warranties and/or representations made by Entrant pursuant to these Official Rules.
By submitting any Submission, you expressly grant to the Bee (and to those acting on the Bee’s behalf) a non-exclusive, perpetual, world-wide royalty-free license (and waive all moral rights in and to your Submission) to display or otherwise use your Submission on the Contest Page and any related sites in connection with this Contest.
Winner Notification and Verification
After selection of a potential winner, the Bee will contact the potential winner using the information supplied by Entrant, unless the potential winner has provided alternate contact information to the Bee in writing. The winner must respond to the Bee within forty-eight (48) hours of initial notification and may be required to present valid photo identification and/or to execute and return an affidavit or declaration of eligibility, liability waiver, publicity release (where legal), tax forms and/or other legal documents (the “Verification Paperwork”) to the Bee within five (5) days of initial notification, and as a condition of receiving prize. The Bee in its sole discretion may allow for transmission of Verification Paperwork via fax or e-mail from any or all winners. If applicable, the Bee in its sole discretion, may permit a verified winner to authorize, in writing, another adult to pick up his/her/their prize; however, winner must agree to release and hold the Bee harmless from all liability for any prize claimed by his/her/their authorized designee and winner’s designee will be required present photo ID. Upon fulfilling any prize, the Bee will be deemed to have awarded the prize to the winner and such winner assumes full responsibility for the prize.
If the potential winner (a) cannot be contacted directly by, or does not respond to, the Bee within the time stated above, (b) fails to satisfy any eligibility or verification requirement herein, (c) declines to accept the prize, or (d) is otherwise determined to be ineligible, the Bee in its discretion may disqualify that individual and award the prize to an alternate potential winner.
The Bee may, in its sole discretion, post the verified winners’ names on the Contest Page and/or any of the Bee’s websites, and on or in any of the Bee’s social media pages or channels. Except as provided in these Official Rules or otherwise required by law, the Bee is not responsible for entering any correspondence or discussion regarding any Contest results.
Publicity Release
By accepting a prize, each winner agrees to award the Bee and Teach For America the right to publicize his/her/their name, photographs (including the use and appearance of his/her/their photograph on their websites), likeness, biographical information, e-mail address, voice and details of winning for purposes of this and future promotions without further compensation, except where prohibited.
LIABILITY RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION
By participating in this Contest, you agree to release, discharge and hold harmless the Bee, The E.W. Scripps Company, Teach For America, and their respective parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries and all of their directors, officers, employees, agents and assigns (the “Released Parties”) from any claims, losses, and damages arising out of, or relating to, your participation in this Contest (including, without limitation, any misrepresentation made by the Entrant in connection with the Contest; any non-compliance by the Entrant with these Official Rules; claims brought by persons or entities other than the parties to these Official Rules arising from or related to the Entrant’s involvement with the Contest; any malfunction, error or other problem arising in connection with the collection, processing, or retention of registration or entry information; or any typographical or other error in the printing, offering or announcement of any prize or winner), or any Contest-related activities (including, without limitation, any event attended as part of the prizes), and the acceptance and use, misuse, or possession of the prizes awarded hereunder.
Miscellaneous
The Bee reserves the right to disqualify any individual from further participation or voting in the Contest if the Bee concludes, in its sole discretion, that such person (a) has attempted to tamper with any entry or selection process or other any operation of the Contest, (b) has repeatedly disregarded or has attempted to circumvent these Official Rules, or (c) has acted towards the Bee, the Contest Judges or any other Entrant, or other participant in an unfair, inequitable, deliberately annoying, threatening, disrupting or harassing manner. Any failure by the Bee to enforce any of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of such Official Rules.
ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY INDIVIDUAL TO DEFRAUD, TAMPER WITH, OR DELIBERATELY UNDERMINE, THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND/OR CIVIL LAWS AND THE BEE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO PURSUE ANY AVAILABLE DAMAGES OR REMEDIES AGAINST SUCH INDIVIDUAL AND/OR REFER SUCH MATTERS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR PROSECUTION TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
All activity arising out of and relating to the Contest, including any reference to the status of any person as a “Finalist” or “Grand Prize Winner” is subject to verification and/or auditing for compliance with the Official Rules. If the Bee determines, in its sole discretion, that verification or auditing activity evidences non-compliance of any entry and/or Entrant or Finalist with the Official Rules, the Bee reserves the right to bar such Finalist from further participation, disqualify such entry and/or Entrant and/or any relevant votes from the Contest and any prize at any time. The Bee reserves the right to conduct a background check on any or all potential winners and to disqualify any individual based on such background check if the Bee determines in its sole discretion that awarding a prize to any such individual might reflect negatively on the Bee. Each Entrant agrees to cooperate with the Bee and its representatives in connection with all verification, auditing and/or background check activities.
The Bee reserves the right to correct typographical, printing or clerical errors in any Contest-related materials. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. If production, technical, seeding, programming or any other reasons cause more than the stated number of prizes as set forth in these Official Rules to be available and/or claimed, the Bee reserves the right to award only the stated number of prizes by a random drawing from among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims.
Disputes
EXCEPT WHERE PROHIBITED, ENTRANTS AGREE THAT ALL DISPUTES, CLAIMS AND CAUSES OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR CONNECTED WITH THIS CONTEST, OR PRIZES AWARDED, WILL BE RESOLVED INDIVIDUALLY WITHOUT RESORT TO ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION, AND ALL CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS AND AWARDS WILL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS INCURRED BY ENTRANT WITH REGARD TO THIS CONTEST, BUT IN NO EVENT ATTORNEYS’ FEES, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of Entrants and the Bee in connection with the Contest will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions (whether of Ohio or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than Ohio. The state and federal courts located in Hamilton County, Ohio will be the exclusive forum for any dispute relating to these Official Rules and/or this Contest. All participants and winners agree, by their participation in the Contest, to submit to the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in Hamilton County, Ohio and waive the right to contest jurisdiction.
Trademarks
Any third-party trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective trademark owners and the use or mention of any such third-party trademarks in these Official Rules or in the Contest is solely for descriptive purposes and shall in no way imply an endorsement of the Contest.
SEVERABILITY
If any provision(s) of these Official Rules are held to be invalid or unenforceable, all remaining provisions hereof will remain in full force and effect.
NO AFFILIATION WITH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS: This Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Instagram, or X. Any questions, comments or complaints regarding the Sweepstakes should be directed to Sponsor, not Facebook, Instagram, or X.
WINNERS’ LIST/Official Rules
Winner list will be made available at the Contest Page no later than 60 days after May 6, 2025.
SPONSOR
Scripps National Spelling Bee, 312 Walnut St, Ste 2800, Cincinnati, OH 45202.