WASHINGTON -- The 77th Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee begins Tuesday, June 1, in Washington, D.C., featuring top spellers from across the United States.

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The 265 champion spellers, ranging in age from 9 to 15 years old, are competing for the National Spelling Bee Championship, which will be determined during the closing rounds of the competition Thursday, June 3.

The spellers have qualified to compete in the national competition by winning locally sponsored spelling bees in their home communities.

The competition is being held in the Independence Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Washington.

A live national broadcast of the competition will begin at 10 a.m. EDT Thursday, June 3, on ESPN2.

The final rounds will be broadcast exclusively on ESPN from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT Thursday.

On Wednesday June 2, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. EDT, ESPN2 will air a taped broadcast of round four of the competition.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the nation's largest and longest running educational promotion.

"Each year we gather in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the academic achievements of the world's top young spellers," said Paige P. Kimble, director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee and 1981 national spelling champion. "While we're here to select a national spelling champion, it's important to recognize that all of the 265 young scholars who are assembled in Washington this week have already distinguished themselves as exceptional spellers. Qualifying to compete in the national competition is a significant accomplishment in its own right."

The purpose of the National Spelling Bee is to help students improve spelling, increase vocabularies, learn concepts and develop correct English usage that will help them all of their lives.

The program is open to students who have not reached their 16th birthday on or before the date of the national finals and who have not advanced beyond the eighth grade by Feb. 1, 2004.

The National Spelling Bee word panel has compiled a list consisting of more than 850 words that will be used in the national competition.

All 265 competing spellers receive cash prizes that range from $50 to $12,000 for the national champion.

For more information, visit 2004 Spelling Bee.