Chilaka Ugobi, an 8th grader at Our Redeemer’s Christian School (Minot) in Ward County, was declared the champion at the 2026 North Dakota State Spelling Bee, held on Monday, March 23 at the Bismarck Event Center.
The oral portion of the competition began with 26 competitors. Chilaka was declared champion after correctly spelling “eviscerate” in the fourteenth round of the oral spelldown. Other words he spelled correctly leading up to his final word included: sedge, schism, pituitary, and behoove.
Chilaka’s hobbies include Bible reading, soccer, basketball, language learning (German, Arabic), and chess. His grand prize is a trip to Washington, D.C. to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee from May 24 – May 30, which includes airfare and lodging for two as well as an allowance for expenses. He also took home a trophy and gold medal, a Barnes and Noble gift card, and wireless noise-cancelling earbuds, as well as one-year subscriptions to Britannica Online Premium, Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online and News-O-Matic from Scripps and their sponsors.
Coming in second place at the Spelling Bee was Chaitanya Gopi, the 2026 Runner-Up. A 6th grader at Dakota Montessori School (Fargo) in Cass County, Chaitanya enjoys drawing and reading. Her awards were a trophy and silver medal, a Barnes & Noble gift card, wireless noise-cancelling earbuds, and, from Merriam-Webster, the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition. Chaitanya was also recognized for achieving a perfect score on the spelling words portion of the written test.
Sam Edward Pasag, an 8th grader from Elgin/New Leipzig Elementary School in Grant County, took third place. His hobbies include drawing, creative writing, sculpting, and playing video games. His prizes were a trophy and bronze medal, a Barnes & Noble gift card, and wireless noise-cancelling earbuds.
Callen Gelsinger, an 8th grader at Hope Christian Academy (Dickinson) in Stark County, took fourth place. His hobbies are archery, raising chickens, and playing video games. His prizes were a trophy and bronze medal, a Barnes & Noble gift card, and wireless noise-cancelling earbuds.
“We are honored to host an event that showcases the remarkable abilities and dedication of spellers from across North Dakota,” said Miranda Streifel, North Dakota Spelling Bee Director. “Their achievements today are a reflection of both individual effort and strong educational support systems.”
The competition began in the morning with 99 spellers representing 51 of the 53 counties in the state. All spellers took part in a 50-word written spelling test, followed by a 20-question, multiple-choice vocabulary test. Students with the top 25 scores (plus any ties at 25th place) advanced to the oral spelldown session in the afternoon. Central Middle School students Jude Asleson of 6th grade and Jaxen Parisien of 8th grade, who placed first and second in the Ramsey County Spelling Bee, also participated in the state competition but were not among the remaining 25 finalists.
The North Dakota Newspaper Association (NDNA) serves as the primary sponsor of the North Dakota Spelling Bee program. As an organization dedicated to promoting strong writing and communication, NDNA recognizes the importance of spelling as a foundational skill.
NDNA Executive Director Cecile Wehrman said, “The ND Spelling Bee is one of the most foundational enrichment activities students can engage in. Accurate spelling is essential for good communication, which is why it’s a natural for our newspaper members to support the bee.”
Distributing awards and prizes at the conclusion of the competition were Wehrman and North Dakota Association of County Superintendents President Nikki Johnsrud.
Silver Level sponsors for the State Spelling Bee include American Legion Post #29 (Watford City), Bison Booster Club (Milnor), Finley Improvement Association, Magic City Lions Club (Minot), Minot Junior Golf Association, and Thundering Saints (Valley City). The Bronze Level Sponsors included Aggie Foundation, Center Community Club, Fraternal Order of Eagles (Watford City), Schwandt Goodman Post 9050 (Enderlin) and Upham American Legion Earl Nermoe Post #269.
Leave a Reply