Three of Australia's brightest young minds, the national winners of the 2025 Prime Minister's Spelling Bee, enjoyed a privileged audience with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Parliament House in Canberra this week.
A Moment of Laughter in the PM's Office
The meeting was filled with nervous excitement and cheesy smiles from both the champions and their proud parents as they greeted Mr Albanese. The trio – Aditya Paul from NSW, Elsie Chittleborough from South Australia, and Echo Feng from the ACT – chatted with the nation's leader and posed for photographs with their gleaming glass trophies.
Conversation turned to the toughest words they faced in the national competition. While Elsie admitted the word "cache" had tripped her up, and Echo revealed she had momentarily stumbled on "album", it was a piece of political jargon that provided the day's biggest laugh.
Fourteen-year-old Aditya Paul, a seasoned finalist, explained his challenge with the word "psephology" – the scientific study of voting and elections. When Aditya mentioned he had faltered by missing a single letter, the Prime Minister instantly quipped, "See, I would've gotten it," causing the entire room to erupt in laughter.
Champions Revel in a Landmark Experience
Following the meeting, the spelling champions were treated to a private tour of the iconic Parliament House, soaking in the history and significance of the building.
For Elsie Chittleborough, who is South Australia's first-ever national champion, the experience was unforgettable. "Meeting the Prime Minister was a really good experience," she said.
Echo Feng, the ACT's defending champion, confessed to feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement. Meanwhile, Aditya Paul, who has made the finals every year since the Bee's inception and was also a champion in 2024, was starstruck. "It's not every day that it happens, obviously, and to be able to meet him once, let alone twice, is honestly just one of the biggest privileges I've ever had," he shared.
A Celebration of Literacy and Record-Breaking Participation
The winners were accompanied by News Corp Australia community ambassador Penny Fowler, who heaped praise on the talented trio. "Our champions are extraordinary and I have no doubt their talent, resilience and persistence will continue to grow and positively impact throughout their lives," Ms Fowler stated.
She emphasised the importance of the initiative, noting, "The Bee has really become a key part of our Kids News' calendar and reflects our company's aim to do what we can to boost childhood literacy, something which is good for society and critical to Australia's long-term prosperity."
This year marked the Spelling Bee's milestone fifth birthday, and it was a record-breaking one. Kids News Editor Diana Jenkins revealed that the 2025 event saw 3397 teachers register more than 82,500 students – a massive increase of over 12,000 children from the previous year.
"Teachers keep coming back to the Bee because it's fun for kids and easy to run in their classrooms," Ms Jenkins said. "Foundation literacy is the bedrock of a sound education. There is no greater priority for Kids News than delivering reliable news and literacy tools like the Bee, both essential for all young Australians navigating the challenges of the future."
The three champions ultimately triumphed from this enormous cohort of tens of thousands of students, proving their mettle in a fun, safe, and digital educational environment.
