National School SCRABBLE Championship
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The National School Scrabble Championship is the annual highlight of the School Scrabble Program. In 2015, it was renamed the North American School Scrabble Championship.
The tournament typically draws over 50 teams of two players each, representing schools and certain other youth organizations, as well as high school students who compete as individuals. Competitors must be 18 years or younger, enrolled in school, and resident in the United States or Canada.
Contents
2024
| Date | March 23–24 |
|---|---|
| Place | Planet Word, Washington, DC |
| Championship Division Winners | Nathanael Campos & Rishi Palicha |
| Championship Division Runners-Up | Nathan Lerlop & Milo Anderson |
| High School Division Winner | Cherish Amby-Okolo |
| High School Division Runner-Up | Gideon Brosowsky |
| Championship Division Winner’s Prize | $1,000 |
| Prize Pool | $5,000+ |
| Teams | 43 |
| Format | 8 rounds followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | Stefan Fatsis, Let's Play Scrabble |
| Director | Ben Greenwood & Kieran O'Connor |
2023
| Date | April 1–2 |
|---|---|
| Place | Planet Word, Washington, DC |
| Championship Division Winners | Nathanael Campos & Walden Giezentanner |
| Championship Division Runners-Up | Nathan Lerlop & Milo Anderson |
| High School Division Winner | Ruth Li |
| High School Division Runner-Up | James Donnelly |
| Championship Division Winner’s Prize | $1,000 |
| Prize Pool | $5,000+ |
| Teams | 48 |
| Format | 8 rounds followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | Stefan Fatsis, Will Anderson, Caroline Henley, & Cornelia Guest |
| Director | Ben Greenwood & Kieran O'Connor |
2022
| Date | May 14–15 |
|---|---|
| Place | Planet Word, Washington, DC |
| Championship Division Winners | Nathanael Campos & Walden Giezentanner |
| Championship Division Runners-Up | Gideon Brosowsky & Milo Anderson |
| High School Division Winner | Zachary Ansell |
| High School Division Runner-Up | James Donnelly |
| Championship Division Winner’s Prize | $1,000 |
| Prize Pool | $5,000+ |
| Teams | 41 |
| Format | 8 rounds followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | Stefan Fatsis |
| Director | Ben Greenwood & Kieran O'Connor |
2020
The 2020 Hasbro Gaming Championships - originally scheduled to take place on April 18–19 in Baltimore - have been postponed because of the COVID-19 Coronavirus emergency.
2019
| Date | April 27–28 |
|---|---|
| Place | Philadelphia, PA |
| Championship Division Winners | Jeffrey Pogue & Noah Slatkoff |
| Championship Division Runners-Up | Thomas Shundi & Archit Kalra |
| High School Division Winner | Jem Burch |
| High School Division Runner-Up | Leo McKenna |
| Challenge Division Winner | Nathanael Campos & Jake Nadol |
| Championship Division Winner’s Prize | $3,000 |
| Prize Pool | $10,000+ |
| Teams | 133 |
| Format | 8 rounds for Championship and Challenge followed by 1-round final
9 rounds for High School followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | The Fair Play Agency |
| Director | Ben Greenwood |
2018
| Date | April 28–29 |
|---|---|
| Place | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA |
| Championship Division Winners | Jeffrey Pogue & Noah Slatkoff |
| Championship Division Runners-Up | Knox Daniel & Logan Strzepek |
| High School Division Winner | Noah Kalus |
| High School Division Runner-Up | Jem Burch |
| Challenge Division Winner | Ian Whitehurst & Kevin Zeng |
| Challenge Division Runners-Up | Lavanya Girish & Kaashika Raut |
| Championship Division Winner’s Prize | $10,000 |
| Prize Pool | $23,000 |
| Teams | 129 |
| Format | 8 rounds for Championship and Challenge followed by 1-round final
9 rounds for High School followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | The Fair Play Agency |
| Director | Jason Keller & Judy Cole |
2017
| Date | April 22–23 |
|---|---|
| Place | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA |
| Championship Division Winners | Zach Ansell & Jem Burch |
| Championship Division Runners-Up | Knox Daniel & Logan Strzepek |
| High School Division Winner | Kevin Bowerman |
| High School Division Runner-Up | Sam Masling |
| Challenge Division Winner | Audrey Benford & Dina Lacugna |
| Championship Division Winner’s Prize | $10,000 |
| Prize Pool | $20,500 |
| Teams | 92 |
| Format | 8 rounds for Championship and Challenge followed by 1-round final
9 rounds for High School followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | MSI |
| Director | Jason Keller |
- Divisions were added this year:
- High School - Students in Grades 9 to 12. Compete as individuals.
- Challenge - Newcomers and novice competitors.
2016
See our unofficial page about the 2016 North American School SCRABBLE Championship.
| Date | April 9–10 |
|---|---|
| Place | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA |
| Winners | Cooper Komatsu & Jem Burch |
| Runners-Up | Matias Shundi & Javier Conteras |
| Winner’s Prize | $10,000 |
| Prize Pool | $20,500 |
| Teams | 85 |
| Format | 7 rounds followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | MSI |
| Director | John Chew |
- This was the last year in which NASPA, as an organization, helped to run the event.
2015
See our unofficial page about the 2015 North American School SCRABBLE Championship.
| Date | May 16–17 |
|---|---|
| Place | Pawtucket, RI |
| Winners | Noah Kalus & Zach Ansell |
| Runners-Up | Matias Shundi & Javier Conteras |
| Winner’s Prize | $10,000 |
| Prize Pool | $20,500 |
| On Jimmy Kimmel Live | May 23, 2015 |
| Teams | 58 |
| Format | 7 rounds followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | MSI |
| Director | John Chew |
2014
See our unofficial page about the 2014 National School SCRABBLE Championship.
| Date | April 26–27 |
|---|---|
| Place | One Hasbro Place, Providence, RI |
| Winners | Thomas Draper (NJ) and Jacob Sass (TX) |
| Runners-Up | Jack and Nicholas Miklaucic |
| Winner’s Prize | $10,000 |
| Prize Pool | $20,000 |
| On Jimmy Kimmel Live | May 23, 2014 |
| Teams | 69 |
| Format | 7 rounds followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | MSI |
| Director | John Chew |
- This was the first NSSC organized by MSI.
- Thomas Draper appeared in his third finals
2013
| Date | May 3–4 |
|---|---|
| Place | Washington Marriott Wardman Park, Washington, DC |
| Winners | Kevin Bowerman and Raymond Gao (NC) |
| Runners-Up | Thomas Draper (NJ) and Sam Masling (DC) |
| Winner’s Prize | $10,000 |
| Prize Pool | $20,000 |
| On Jimmy Kimmel Live | May 23 |
| Teams | 89 |
| Format | 7 rounds followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | NSA |
| Director | John Chew |
- This was the last NSSC organized by the NSA prior to their dissolution.
- With this event, North Carolina became the first state to have winning
students in three Nationals, in 2009, 2012 and 2013.
- This was the first event since 2009 in which no previous champions were competing.
- Thomas Draper became the third person known to have been a runner-up twice.
2012
| Date | April 13–14 |
|---|---|
| Place | Royal Pacific Resort, Orlando, FL |
| Winners | Andy Hoang and Erik Salgado (NC) |
| Runners-Up | Thomas Draper and Nicholas Vasquez (NJ) |
| Winner’s Prize | $10,000 |
| Prize Pool | $20,000 |
| On Jimmy Kimmel Live | April 23 |
| Teams | 72 |
| Format | 7 rounds followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | NSA |
| Director | John Chew |
- Andy Hoang and Erik Salgado became the first team to win two NSSC titles.
- Beginning with this event, rules were normalized to more closely match NASPA rules, including the use of a 25- rather than 22-minute clock, and an explicit reference to NASPA rules for situations not covered in the event rules.
- This was the first year in which fourth-graders were permitted to compete.
2011
| Date | April 15–16 |
|---|---|
| Place | Royal Pacific Resort, Orlando, FL |
| Winners | Alex Li and Jackson Smylie (ON) |
| Runners-Up | Evan McCarthy and Bradley Robbins (NH) |
| Winner’s Prize | $10,000 |
| Prize Pool | $20,000 |
| On Jimmy Kimmel Live | May 4 |
| Teams | 98 |
| Format | 7 rounds followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | NSA |
| Director | John Chew |
- Alex Li and Jackson Smylie were the first Canadians to win the title.
- The event expanded from 6+1 to 7+1 rounds this year.
2010
| Date | April 15–16 |
|---|---|
| Place | Royal Pacific Resort, Orlando, FL |
| Winners | Evan McCarthy and Bradley Robbins (NH) |
| Runners-Up | Timothy Bryant and Kevin Rosenberg (NY) |
| Winner’s Prize | $10,000 |
| Prize Pool | $20,000 |
| On Jimmy Kimmel Live | April 26 |
| Teams | 95 |
| Format | 6 rounds followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | NSA |
| Director | Ben Greenwood |
- McCarthy and Robbins were the first NSSC winners to beat Jimmy Kimmel on his show.
2009
| Date | April 24–25 |
|---|---|
| Place | Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, RI |
| Winners | Andy Hoang and Erik Salgado (NC) |
| Runners-Up | Paolo Federico O'Murchu and Nicholas Vasquez (NJ) |
| Winner’s Prize | $10,000 |
| Prize Pool | $20,000 |
| On Jimmy Kimmel Live | May 5 |
| Teams | 102 |
| Format | 6 rounds followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | NSA |
| Director | Ben Greenwood |
- Hoang and Salgado were the first fifth-graders to win the NSSC.
2008
| Date | May 9–10 |
|---|---|
| Place | Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, RI |
| Winners | Logan Rosen and Matthew Silver (CT) |
| Runners-Up | Dorian Hill and Joey Krafchick (GA) |
| Winner’s Prize | $5,000 |
| Prize Pool | $10,000 |
| Teams | 104 |
| Format | 6 rounds followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | NSA |
| Director | Ben Greenwood |
2007
| Date | May 4–5 |
|---|---|
| Place | Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, RI |
| Winners | Aune Mitchell and Matthew Silver (CT) |
| Runners-Up | Dorian Hill and Joey Krafchick (GA) |
| Winner’s Prize | $5,000 |
| Teams | 100 |
| Format | 6 rounds followed by 1-round final |
| Organizer | NSA |
| Director | Ben Greenwood |
2006
| Date | April 21–22 |
|---|---|
| Place | Boston, MA |
| Winners | Aaron Jacobs and Nathan Mendelsohn (MA) |
| Runners-Up | Quentin Babb and Matt Canik (TX) |
| Winner’s Prize | $5,000 |
| Prize Pool | $9,250 |
| Teams | 98 |
| Organizer | NSA |
| Director | Ben Greenwood |
2005
| Place | Boston, MA |
|---|---|
| Winners | Scott Cardone and Asif Rahman (OH) |
| Winner’s Prize | $5,000 |
| Organizer | NSA |
| Director | Ben (Loiterstein) Greenwood |
2004
| Place | Boston, MA |
|---|---|
| Winners | Thomas Bao and Eric Johnston (CA) |
| Winner’s Prize | $5,000 |
| Organizer | NSA |
| Director | Ben Greenwood and Joe Edley |
2003
| Date | April 26 |
|---|---|
| Place | Boston, MA |
| Winners | Nick Amphlett and John Ezekowitz |
| Winner’s Prize | $5,000 |
| Organizer | NSA |
| Director | Ben Greenwood and Joe Edley |