Oliver Halkett of Mirman School Competed on Thursday for a $50,000 prize
Thirteen-year-old Oliver Halkett, a seventh grader from Mirman School in Bel Air, earned a spot in the finals of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee, becoming a rare contender from Los Angeles County to reach the championship stage.
Halkett advanced to Thursday’s final round after successfully navigating both the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds on Wednesday, accurately spelling five words and it was a great achievement for Halkett to compete at the national level.
This marks Halkett’s second appearance at the national level. In 2024, he tied for 60th place. He qualified for this year’s bee by winning the Los Angeles County Regional Spelling Bee in April, triumphing in a 16-round battle by correctly spelling “diazepam,” the generic name for the anti-anxiety medication Valium.
The 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee began with 243 participants from across the country, each earning their spot through rigorous local and regional competitions. Halkett was sponsored by the Los Angeles County Office of Education. This is the spelling bee’s 100th anniversary.
Outside of spelling, Halkett is a well-rounded student with interests in piano, Mandarin and Latin, soccer, and reading. He enjoys learning about history and current events, and counts Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, and The West Wing among his favorite films and shows. He aspires to one day serve in government, ideally as the U.S. Secretary of State.
