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Vocabulary Bowl Season 13: A Record-Breaking Competition

The Fall 2025 Vocabulary Bowl has proven to be a remarkable event in the educational landscape, with an astounding total of 5,323,633 words mastered by nearly one million learners from all over the world. This achievement not only signifies the immense effort put forth by students but also showcases the dedicated support of more than 65,000 teachers from 6,000 schools across 120 countries.

This year’s competition officially marks Season 13 as the largest in the history of the Vocabulary Bowl. The event transforms vocabulary learning into an engaging and competitive experience, encouraging students to expand their linguistic skills while enjoying the advantages of collaboration and teamwork. With the effective use of Vocabulary.com’s adaptive technology, participants could improve their vocabulary at their own pace, earning points that contribute to their schools’ triumphs.

Competition Highlights

The Vocabulary Bowl has various divisions based on school size, creating a fair and exciting playing field for both large and small institutions. In the United States, schools competed in three divisions designated by enrollment numbers: Division I for schools with over 1,000 students, Division II for those with 500-999 students, and Division III for schools with up to 499 students. International competitors also enjoyed the opportunity to shine in their own brackets, although they were assessed solely on total words mastered.

Among the familiar names returning to the top of the leaderboard was Saint Thomas Aquinas High School in Florida. They clinched the championship title by mastering an impressive 88,000 words—a feat that outpaced last season’s winner, Woodland Middle School from Tennessee, which still held strong with a second overall finish. The competition in Division II saw an interesting turn as Coweta High School in Oklahoma dethroned DuBois Area High School from Pennsylvania, marking its first-ever victory in this division.

Meanwhile, Buckingham Collegiate Academy from California made history by extending its dynasty with a remarkable eighth consecutive championship in Division III for high schools, reflecting its consistent commitment to vocabulary mastery. In the middle school category, Muscatel Middle School, also from California, achieved its third win, demonstrating its long-standing excellence in vocabulary instruction.

The international division featured equally competitive schools, with École Jeannine Manuel in France achieving the top international ranking. This accomplishment ended the reign of Nan Hua Primary School in Singapore, highlighting the growing competition across the globe. New entrants from Saudi Arabia and Australia have also made notable strides, securing places in the international top ten rankings.

In addition to the recognized schools, the driving force behind this broad success lies in the passionate educators inspiring their students. Mayville High School in Michigan emerged as a powerhouse, with four teachers ranked among the top 10 in the U.S. Additionally, the leading international school also boasted four top teachers in its ranks, emphasizing the pivotal role teachers play in this educational journey.

Recognition of Commitment to Learning

Paul Mishkin, CEO of IXL Learning, parent company of Vocabulary.com, praised the extraordinary outcome of this year’s competition. He stated, "Five million words mastered by nearly a million learners is an extraordinary achievement. It speaks to the power of consistent practice and highlights how engaging learning can be when students are genuinely excited to participate."

Through gamified features and engaging practices, the Vocabulary Bowl not only focuses on vocabulary building but also supports vital skill development in reading, writing, and communication—essential tools needed for academic success.

As the Spring 2026 season approaches, schools and students are encouraged to participate and continue developing their vocabulary skills. Interested individuals can visit Vocabulary.com for more details on how to get involved.

About Vocabulary.com

Founded in 2010, Vocabulary.com is dedicated to transforming vocabulary instruction. The platform enhances learning by identifying individual vocabulary needs and tailoring plans to each student. With over 17,000 resources aligned to diverse curriculums, it effectively integrates vocabulary education into any classroom setting. Through fun, interactive competitions like the Vocabulary Bowl, Vocabulary.com has engaged over 4 million learners who have answered an incredible 8 billion questions, successfully mastering 400 million words. The platform joined the IXL Learning family in 2020, further expanding its impact on education.