BEDFORD – The 2026 WBIW Lawrence County Spelling Bee, presented by the Lawrence County Health Department, is set to return to the stage at Schafer Auditorium next week.
The annual competition, which showcases the top linguistic talents from across the county, will take place over two days. The school champs of grades 3-5 will compete on Monday, Feb. 23, followed by the school champs of grades 6-8 on Tuesday, Feb. 24.
The overall 2026 WBIW Lawrence County Spelling Bee Champion will be determined on Tuesday, Feb. 24, when the top finisher of Day 1 from Monday night returns to face off against the school champions of grades 6-8.
Every student taking the stage is already a winner; all participants will receive a commemorative t-shirt and a certificate of participation to mark their achievement. However, the stakes are even higher for the top spot. In addition to the “spelling bee swag,” the grand champion will walk away with a $100 prize, a trophy, and a Papa John’s pizza party for their entire homeroom class.
Both events are free and open to the public, offering a chance for the community to cheer on local students as they vie for the title of Lawrence County’s top speller. Doors open at 4 p.m., with the contest beginning at 4:30 p.m. on both nights. You can catch the bee live on Facebook or tune in to hear the spelling bee following the competitions at 6 p.m. on 1340 WBIW.
This year’s field features representatives from Burris, Dollens, Needmore, LCIS, Shawswick, Parkview, Springville, St. Vincent, Lincoln, and Bedford Middle School.
The contestants for this year’s competition include:
Monday, Feb. 23 – Grades 3-5
- Ari Blanton – Burris, Grade 5
- Elleana Berry – Dollens, Grade 5
- Julian Ogburn – Needmore, Grade 5
- Reece Lyons – LCIS, Grade 4
- Callie Martin – Shawswick, Grade 3
- Leilah Eldrige – Parkview, Grade 5
- Eleanor Kimmel – Springville, Grade 5
- Giovanni Marsee – St. Vincent, Grade 4
- Riley Johnson – Lincoln, Grade 5
Tuesday, Feb. 24 – Grades 6-8
- Adelyn Gully – Dollens, Grade 6
- Jayvan Brock – LCIS, Grade 6
- Clint Morgan – St. Vincent, Grade 8
- Sargun Dhall – Parkview, Grade 6
- Calvin Trezona – Springville, Grade 8
- Nolan Reagan – Needmore, Grade 6
- Sophie Payne – Lincoln, Grade 6
- Grant Tong – Shawswick, Grade 6
- Preston Liggins – BMS, Grade 8
The 2026 WBIW Lawrence County Spelling Bee is made possible by:
- Lawrence County Health Department
- Bedford Federal Savings Bank
- Papa John’s of Bedford
- Lawrence County Community Foundation
