2 Fargo students to compete for 2026 North Dakota Spelling Bee title

BISMARCK — Nearly 100 students are preparing to face off in the 2026 North Dakota State Spelling Bee.

The competition takes place Monday, March 23, at the Bismarck Event Center.

The event is hosted by the North Dakota Association of County Superintendents (NDACS), official regional partner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee and is sponsored primarily by the North Dakota Newspaper Association Education Foundation, an NDACS news release said.

Two students will represent Cass County in the state contest: Chaitanya Gopi, a sixth grader at Dakota Montessori School in Fargo, and Sunny Zhang, a seventh grader at Ben Franklin Middle School in Fargo.

Students representing 51 of the state’s 53 counties will compete in the one-day event.

Competition begins with a written test of 50 spelling words and 20 vocabulary questions.

The top 25 spellers from that round, along with any additional students tied for 25th place, advance to the afternoon’s oral spelldown. The oral competition will continue until a state champion is crowned.

The state champion will receive an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to participate in “Bee Week” and compete in the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee from May 26-28.

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