The school cafeteria buzzed with excitement as students spelled their way through the competition.
TAFT, Texas — Woodroe Petty Elementary is buzzing with excitement after crowning its 2026 National Spelling Bee champion — fifth-grader Ezra Maldonado.
The spelling bee filled the school cafeteria with cheers as family members, teachers, and classmates showed their support. A total of 27 students from second through fifth grade took the stage to spell their hearts out.
Ezra spelled his way to first place, followed by fifth-grader Liam Valdez in second and third-grader Joel Flores in third.
This win is extra special for Ezra — it’s his second year in a row taking the top spot. He’s already looking ahead to the next challenge and hoping to make it all the way to nationals.
“I’m very happy,” Ezra said with a smile. “Last time I got first place, but I didn’t get to go to regionals because I was sick. I’m really excited for what’s coming next.”
Second-place winner Liam Valdez also had some words of encouragement for future spellers.
“Study real hard and you might win,” Liam said with a grin.
Spelling Bee Coordinator Elizabeth Kelley says the competition is about much more than spelling big words.
“We had 27 spellers this year, ranging from second to fifth grade,” Kelley said. “They were nominated by their teachers, practiced hard, and learned how to perform on stage. I’m really proud of them.”
She says her biggest hope is that students walk away feeling confident and empowered.
“I want them to know they can do anything they set their minds to,” Kelley said. “Just being willing to stand on stage in front of everyone shows incredible determination — and that’s awesome.”
This year’s spelling bee was officiated by a dedicated group of community members and educators, including Jeremy Merrill, Nancy Nava, Miranda Benedict, Patsy Alvarado, and Taft Mayor Elida Castillo.
With smiles, applause, and lots of big words, it was a winning day for everyone — especially Ezra, who’s ready to spell his way even further