Atlanta Public Schools Celebrates Winners of District and Spanish Spelling Bees

For many Atlanta Public Schools (APS) students, the path to a spelling bee stage often begins quietly, with memorizing word lists, studying language patterns, and testing one’s recall. As the competition gets closer, the work requires more than that. Successful competitors build vocabulary, strengthen reading comprehension, and sharpen concentration as they learn the rules, origins, and rhythms that shape the English language.

That preparation came into focus recently, when APS hosted its districtwide spelling bee. Students from across the district gathered to test their command of language, spelling increasingly complex words before judges and an audience of peers, families, and educators.

Winners of the 2026 APS District Spelling Bee: Aria Wood, Kent Howard, Ava Belgrave, Ada Clear, and Rose Alexander.

Aria Wood of West Manor Elementary School captured first place in the competition, followed by Kent Howard of The B.E.S.T. Academy. Ava Belgrave of Kimberly Elementary School finished third, Ada Clear of Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School placed fourth, and Rose Alexander of David T. Howard Middle School earned fifth place.

The five students advanced to represent APS at the Regional Spelling Bee on February 28, carrying with them months of preparation and the support of their schools.

The district also recently celebrated another growing academic competition, hosting its second annual Spanish Spelling Bee at Sutton Middle School. Organized by the APS Multilingual Programs and Services department, and open to students in grades four through eight, the competition challenged participants to spell Spanish vocabulary words organized into three tiers of increasing difficulty.

Winners of the 2026 APS District Spanish Spelling Bee: Naomi Alvarado, Atharva Gupta, and Davis Mauldin.

Naomi Alvarado of Willis A. Sutton Middle School earned first place in the event. Atharva Gupta of E. Rivers Elementary School finished second, and Davis Mauldin, also of E. Rivers Elementary School, placed third.

Participants in both spelling bees learned definitions, spellings, and proper usage, and strengthened their reading and writing skills. Their preparation for the stage also built their confidence, requiring students to speak clearly and think quickly under pressure.

Atlanta Public Schools congratulates all of the students who competed and recognizes the families, teachers, and school leaders who supported them throughout their spelling bee journeys.