What Does That Word Mean? Ask the Winners of the 12th Vocabulary Bowl.

More than 380,000 learners worldwide raced to expand their vocabularies and earn top spots in their divisions, states and regions 

SAN MATEO, Calif., April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lament, assonance, terra cotta. These are just a few of the 4.6 million words learners mastered in Vocabulary.com's Spring 2025 Vocabulary Bowl, the world's largest academic contest. But it's not just about racking up points—it's about the thrill of competition, the satisfaction of real progress and the reading and writing skills that last long after the season ends. This spring, more than 380,000 learners and 30,000 teachers from 109 countries joined the action, proving that words have the power to connect and inspire. 

A global showdown: Only 5% of schools earned titles—meaning this season's winners are in a word class of their own. In the U.S., schools competed in three divisions based on enrollment size: Division I (1,000+ students), Division II (500-999 students) and Division III (up to 499 students). International schools, teachers and individual learners also had their own brackets.

This season brought its share of surprises—a fresh champion claimed the top spot, a cross-country rivalry came down to the wire and Bulgaria and South Korea broke into the international top 10 for the first time.

Out of the woodwork (or should we say, Woodland?): In just its second season, Woodland Middle School (TN) stormed to victory, unseating defending champion Saint Thomas Aquinas High School (FL) by more than 14,000 words for the overall highest score from any competitor. Although Saint Thomas Aquinas missed the overall crown, it held firm in Division I—fending off a fierce challenge from nine-time winner Etiwanda High School (CA) to keep its high school title. 

Streaks stayed strong across the board. DuBois Area High School (PA) clinched its second Division II high school win, Muscatel Middle School (CA) repeated in its Division III category and Buckingham Collegiate Academy (CA) extended its dynasty with a seventh consecutive Division III high school championship. And Tennessee wasn't done: Fred J Page Middle School broke through to claim the Division I middle school crown—just one season after earning top rookie honors.

Outside of the United States, Nan Hua Primary School in Singapore stole the spotlight: It captured the top international spot and dominated the individual and teacher rankings, securing four of the top 10 in both categories. 

The Division winners for the Spring 2025 Season are (an asterisk indicates the school also had a top 10 teacher): 

• Division I (1,000 students or more):
  • High School: Saint Thomas Aquinas High School (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
  • Middle and Elementary School: Fred J Page Middle School (Franklin, Tennessee)
• Division II (500-999 students):
  • High School: DuBois Area High School* (DuBois, Pennsylvania)
  • Middle and Elementary School: Woodland Middle School (Brentwood, Tennessee)
• Division III (up to 499 students):
  • High School: Buckingham Collegiate Charter Academy* (Vacaville, California)
  • Middle and Elementary School: Muscatel Middle School (Rosemead, California) 

U.S. state and territory champions are listed below, with the top high school listed first, followed by the leading middle or elementary school: 

• Alabama: Riverchase Career Center (RC3), Crossville Middle School
• Alaska: Minto School, Anchor Lutheran School
• Arizona: Red Mountain High School, Sierra Verde STEAM Academy
• Arkansas: Central High School, Pea Ridge Junior High School
• California: Etiwanda High School*, Muscatel Middle School
• Colorado: Boulder High School, Westview Middle School
• Connecticut: Plainville High School, Michael F. Wallace Middle School
• Delaware: Thomas McKean High School, Saint John the Beloved School 
• District of Columbia: Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, Inspired Teaching Demo School 
• Florida: Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, Saint Anthony School 
• Georgia: Johnson County High School, Kittredge Magnet School
• Guam: Harvest Christian Academy
• Hawaii: Kalani High School, Kaimuki Middle School
• Idaho: Capital High School, Saint Joseph's School
• Illinois: Oak Lawn Community High School, Peotone Junior High School
• Indiana: Manchester Junior Senior High School, East Central Middle School
• Iowa: Maple Valley Anthon Oto High School, Sacred Heart School
• Kansas: Lincoln Junior Senior High School, Cheney Middle School
• Kentucky: Boyle County High School, Crittenden County Middle School
• Louisiana: Archbishop Chapelle High School, Church Point Middle School
• Maine: Sacopee Valley High School, Wells Junior High School
• Maryland: Chesapeake Math & It PC - N High School*, North Salisbury Elementary School
• Massachusetts: Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School, Shady Hill School
• Michigan: Mayville High School, Mayville Middle School 
• Minnesota: Luverne High School, Minnetonka Middle School West
• Mississippi: Jackson Academy, McLain Attendance Center
• Missouri: Sarcoxie Middle High School, Hartville Middle School
• Montana: Lincoln County High School, Ben Steele Middle School
• Nebraska: Southwest Junior Senior High School, Johnson Crossing Academic Center
• Nevada: Sig Rogich Middle School
• New Hampshire: Londonderry High School, Plymouth Elementary School
• New Jersey: Hoboken High School*, Manalapan - Englishtown Middle School
• New Mexico: San Juan College High School*, Early College High School
• New York: James Madison High School, Great Neck North Middle School
• North Carolina: Southern Alamance High School, Morehead City Middle School
• North Dakota: Hatton Eileson High School, Kindred Elementary School
• Ohio: Walnut Hills High School, Wheelersburg Middle School
• Oklahoma: Coweta High School, Owasso Sixth Grade Center
• Oregon: Marist Catholic High School, Nyssa Middle School 
• Pennsylvania: DuBois Area High School, Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander School 
• Rhode Island: Classical High School, Hugh B Bain Middle School
• South Carolina: Catawba Ridge High School, R P Dawkins Middle School
• South Dakota: Redfield School, Harrisburg North Middle School
• Tennessee: Science Hill High School, Woodland Middle School
• Texas: Arp High School*, Hogg Middle School
• Utah: Judge Memorial Catholic High School, Wasatch Junior High School
• Vermont: Enosburg Falls Middle High School, Christ the King School
• Virginia: St. Anne's - Belfield School, Lakeview Elementary School 
• Washington: Moses Lake Christian Academy*, Alki Middle School
• West Virginia: Scott High School, John Adams Middle School 
• Wisconsin: Harold S Vincent High School, Oak Creek East Middle School 
• Wyoming: Riverside Middle High School, Lyman Intermediate School

The Canadian Provincial Winners are:

• Alberta: Central High Sedgewick Public School
• British Columbia: Notre Dame Regional Secondary School, Glenrosa Middle School
• Northwest Territories: Deninu School 
• Nova Scotia: Halifax Christian Academy 
• Ontario: Ymca Academy
• Quebec: Ecole Internationale Lucille-Teasdale 
• Saskatchewan: Miller Comprehensive High School

The international division ranks schools based solely on total words mastered—no size brackets.

The International (non-US/Canada) Winners are:

• Nan Hua Primary School - Singapore 
• One Target Education - Singapore
• École Jeannine Manuel - France
• Raffles Institution - Singapore
• Shanghai SMIC Private School - China 
• The Galaxy School - India
• The American College of Sofia - Bulgaria 
• Menntaskólinn á Tröllaskaga - Iceland
• Fayston Preparatory - South Korea
• Guam Department of Education: Archdiocese of Agana - Guam 

This season also celebrated standout newcomers, proving that first-timers can go toe-to-toe with seasoned competitors.

The Top Rookie Schools are:

• Oak Creek West Middle School - Wisconsin
• Moses Lake Christian Academy - Washington
• Michael F. Wallace Middle School - Connecticut
• Benjamin Banneker Academic High School - District of Columbia
• Montgomery Upper Middle School - New Jersey

"The Vocabulary Bowl is proof that words matter—not just in school, but in how students make sense of the world and express who they are," said Paul Mishkin, CEO of IXL Learning, Vocabulary.com's parent company. "It's incredible to see so many learners worldwide challenge themselves, grow their confidence and discover just how far a strong vocabulary can take them."

Learning that sticks
The Vocabulary Bowl turns vocabulary building into a game, making it fun and rewarding for learners of all ages and abilities. Students master words at their own pace using Vocabulary.com's adaptive technology, earning points for themselves and their schools. Teachers rally their classes by celebrating top scorers and team wins. Every word learned helps develop the reading, writing and communication skills students need for school and beyond.

For details on how to participate in the Fall 2025 season, visit https://www.vocabulary.com/bowl/rules.

About Vocabulary.com
Founded in 2010, Vocabulary.com transforms vocabulary instruction, teaching students the words they need to know to achieve more in school and life. The adaptive platform personalizes learning by identifying each student's vocabulary needs and creating individualized learning plans. With over 17,000 curated resources aligned with textbooks, novels and English language learner content, Vocabulary.com seamlessly integrates into any curriculum. Gamified features, including the Vocabulary Bowl, engage and motivate students through fun, interactive competitions. To date, 4 million learners have answered 8 billion questions and mastered 400 million words on Vocabulary.com. Vocabulary.com joined the IXL Learning family in 2020. 

Press Contact
Joslyn Chesson
IXL Learning
press@ixl.com

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SOURCE IXL Learning