Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old from Texas, won the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling the word “éclaircissement,” which means to clear up something confusing. He had come very close to winning last year but finished as runner-up. This year, he almost made a mistake again but stayed calm and spelled the winning word perfectly. The spelling bee took place in Maryland and featured 243 students from around the world. This year’s contest was special because it was the 100th anniversary of the spelling bee! Think about a time you tried really hard to learn something difficult, like spelling a tricky word or solving a hard puzzle. Write a few sentences about how you practiced and how it felt when you finally got it right. Then, choose a new word you want to learn to spell and try using it in a sentence.

Scientists in Brazil have been studying what would happen if the Amazon rainforest dried out. For 24 years, they blocked some of the rain from hitting a small area of forest to see how trees and plants would react. They found that over time, the trees grew weaker, some died, and the forest released carbon into the air. Normally, rainforests help the planet by storing carbon, which keeps Earth cooler. But when trees die from lack of water, they release that carbon, which can make the planet hotter. The scientists hope to learn more about how the forest might recover now that the experiment is ending. Imagine you are a scientist walking through the rainforest where trees haven’t gotten enough rain. Write or draw what you see, hear, and feel. Then explain why it’s important to protect the rainforest and how people can help keep it healthy.

Spruce Pine is a small town in North Carolina with a big secret—it’s home to the world’s purest quartz! This shiny gray mineral is super important because it’s used to help make computer chips that power phones, computers, and other technology. Two big companies run the quartz mines there, and they help people in town earn good money. The quartz was formed millions of years ago, and today people love to collect pretty rocks like amazonite and rose quartz. Even though the town is still fixing damage from a bad storm, the mines keep it strong and special. Some people even say you can find a little piece of Spruce Pine in technology all around the world! Draw a comic strip showing the journey of a quartz crystal from the mountain to a piece of technology. Begin by drawing 4 to 6 panels. In the first panel, show the quartz deep in the mountain. In the next few panels, show the quartz being mined, cleaned, and sent to a factory. In the final panel, show how the quartz helps make a phone, computer, or another tech item. Add speech bubbles or labels to explain what is happening in each panel. You can also give your quartz crystal a name and personality to make the story more fun.

George E. Smith, a scientist who helped invent a special camera chip called the CCD, has died at age 95. This tiny device is used in things like telescopes, medical machines, and the cameras in our phones to turn light into pictures. He and another scientist came up with the idea back in 1969 while working at Bell Laboratories. Their invention helped scientists take clearer photos of space and made digital photography possible. George also loved sailing and spent 17 years traveling the world by boat with his partner after retiring. He won many awards, including the Nobel Prize in Physics. Look around your home or classroom and find something that uses a camera—like a phone, tablet, or computer. Then, think about how life might be different if George E. Smith hadn’t helped invent the CCD chip. Write a few sentences explaining how cameras help people today and why inventions like this are important for learning, exploring, or having fun.

In Washington State, a truck carrying 250 million honeybees flipped over on a country road near the town of Lynden. The accident caused the bees to escape, and emergency workers warned people to stay away from the area. Some responders were stung while trying to help. Beekeepers worked to guide the bees back to their hives, which could take a day or two. Experts said the bees will likely stay near the truck because that’s where their queen bee is. These bees are very important because they help pollinate fruits, vegetables, and nuts that people eat. Draw a picture showing what happened when the truck carrying the bees flipped over. Include the truck, the bees flying out, the emergency workers helping, and the beekeepers trying to gather the bees. Then, write one or two sentences to explain your picture. What do you think the bees felt like? What do you think the people were trying to do?