The competition was fierce as the brightest spellers from across the district gathered on March 27 for the 2026 Orange County Regional Spelling Bee. 

The talent was truly "un-bee-lievable,” showing the hours of dedication they poured into preparing for this moment. 

After several grueling rounds, the field narrowed. Three students ultimately out-spelled the competition, securing their spots at the next level.

A big congratulations to our top three performers:

• Anay Mahesh – Arbor Ridge K-8 School
• Louis Avetis – Discovery Middle School
• Hardit Tayal – Orlando Science Middle School

These three talented spellers will represent Orange County Public Schools on the big stage at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. in May!

While only three will move on to the national competition, the entire OCPS community is buzzing with pride for every student who competed. From A-Z, you all showed incredible skill—way to represent your schools and make us proud!