Two students advance to State Spelling Bee in Bismarck after strong Cass County finals performances
Fargo, North Dakota – Students from across Cass County gathered to test their spelling skills and academic focus during the Annual Cass County Spelling Bee, an event that brought together top performers from multiple schools and highlighted the value of language learning and perseverance.
A total of 38 students representing nine different schools participated in the competition held Monday afternoon. After several rounds of challenging words and careful deliberation, Chaitanya Gopi and Sunny Zhang emerged as the top two finishers. Both students will now advance to the State Spelling Bee, scheduled for March 23, 2026, at the Bismarck Event Center in Bismarck.
Top Spellers Earn State Competition Berths
Chaitanya Gopi, a sixth grader at Dakota Montessori School, earned first place honors in the county competition. Sunny Zhang, a seventh grader at Ben Franklin Middle School, secured second place and will join Gopi at the state contest. Emberly Wobbema, an eighth grader at Capstone Classical Academy, finished third after a strong performance.
The Cass County Spelling Bee began with a written session designed to narrow the field of competitors. Students completed a written test, and the top twelve scorers advanced to the final spell-off round. During this final session, contestants spelled increasingly difficult words in front of judges and spectators to determine the top two finishers who will represent Cass County at the statewide competition.
Each county in North Dakota is allowed to send two students to compete for the state title. The winner of the State Spelling Bee will go on to represent North Dakota at the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee in May, a prestigious national competition that showcases the country’s best young spellers.
