LPS students showcase love of language at 2026 spelling bee

February 18, 2026

Hanshiya’s love of the English language gave her a Valentine’s Day victory in the 2026 Lincoln Public Schools Oral Spelling Bee.
 
Hanshiya, a seventh grader at Scott Middle School, claimed the championship of the 38th annual event this past weekend. She correctly spelled the word “cambio” in the final round to finish first in the 24-person contest. Harper, a seventh grader at Lux Middle School, earned the runner-up prize.
 
Hanshiya said she was excited to be the final speller on stage. The event lasted 13 rounds and included middle school students from Dawes, Goodrich, Irving, Lux, Mickle, Moore, Park, Pound, Schoo and Scott. She qualified for the regional spelling bee that will be held March 14 in Omaha.
 
“I feel pretty proud of myself,” Hanshiya said. “I’m really excited to go to regionals.”
 
Hanshiya’s parents, Vijay and Shyamala, shared their daughter’s level of enthusiasm. Vijay said he was filled with joy when Hanshiya spoke the six letters of “cambio” into the microphone with a smile.
 
“My eyes were shed with tears,” Vijay said. “I can say that I was so proud, and I’m so humbled and honored to see that my daughter won this one.”

 
All LPS middle school students are eligible to participate in the spelling bee, which takes place at Culler Middle School each year. LPS Secondary English Language Arts Curriculum Specialist Sara Danielson said she was pleased to watch them display their vocabulary and public speaking skills.
 
“It gets me excited about the learning that students get to show off,” Danielson said. “I mean, these kids are showing up with the reading that they do on their own and the learning that they’ve picked up throughout their elementary and into middle school years here. So, it’s just a great opportunity to see them show their stuff.”
 
All 24 spellers began their educational journeys well before stepping into Culler’s auditorium for the bee. LPS uses competition materials from “Words of the Champions,” which is the official study resource of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The guide includes 4,000 words that are divided into three levels of difficulty.

 
Hanshiya eagerly took home the study packet when it came out earlier this winter. Shyamala spent time quizzing her during practice sessions at home, and Vijay gave her encouraging reminders of her spelling talents.
 
How many hours did she think she looked over her list of words?
 
“I can’t say how much, because I don’t really know, but I think it’s like a lot, because I’ve been practicing since about December,” Hanshiya said.
 
Vijay said Hanshiya’s preparation paid off at the public forum. She was familiar with many words that judges presented to her in the early rounds, and she relied on her dictionary dexterity to continue advancing as the morning moved along.
 
“She did a lot of homework on it,” Vijay said. “I think her hard work really helped her.”
 
Danielson said spelling bees provide many lifetime benefits. Students learn about work ethic, organization, planning and preparation before the bee, and they absorb the meaning and context of words from reading books in LPS buildings. They also pick up new phrases and definitions from their work in subjects like math, social studies and science.
 
“It’s not just, ‘Well, spellcheck can do this,’” Danielson said. “It’s that I know this word enough to know what it means if it’s presented to me on the stage, if you use it in a sentence, and maybe I’ve got something that I’ve read or contacted along the way that makes it make sense. So, it really is like the words that we are able to spell and spell correctly are a pretty good indicator of what we know about the world.”

 
The words became more difficult by the time the final four spellers reached the ninth round. They took on vocabulary hurdles like “volition,” “abnegation,” “impasse,” “coniferous” and “ludicrous.” Hanshiya and Harper correctly spelled “feudalism” and “contiguous” in round 12, and they each got “jettison,” “harbinger” and “palmate” right in the championship round.
 
Each speller then had a chance at “dysgraphia,” which is an impairment of handwriting ability. Hanshiya then earned the opportunity to take on “cambio” for the title. She said the word, which means a form of money exchange, was harder than it sounded.
 
“It was kind of familiar, but I had to guess a little bit,” Hanshiya said.
 
Danielson felt the 2026 spelling bee was a good example of how local residents are champions for LPS education.
 
“I’m so appreciative of the community support, the parent and guardian support, that we have kids show up with books in hand to a spelling bee and are excited about learning,” Danielson said. “I’m always happy to see that.”
 
Vijay said it was fitting that Hanshiya won this year’s spelling bee on Valentine’s Day.
 
“She’s so passionate about the spelling bee,” Vijay said. “She’s like, ‘I want to get into the national level spelling bee.’ It’s kind of like her spirit to make progress. I’m so proud that she was able to make it.”
 
Explore how LPS students benefit from the English Language Arts instruction at their schools.
 
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