First-place finisher Siddhesh Ganesh, center, advances to the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. (Courtesy of the Council for the Advancement of Public Education)
Eighth-grader advances to national competition after 18-round contest
An eighth-grade student from Indian Valley Middle School has been named champion of the Scripps Bucks-Mont Regional Spelling Bee, outperforming competitors from schools across Bucks and Montgomery counties.
The event, held March 14 at Wissahickon High School, featured 33 participants and stretched across 18 rounds. Students prepared using the Scripps National Spelling Bee’s official “Words of the Champions” study list, which includes 4,000 words.
Siddhesh Ganesh secured the title with the winning word “analects” and will move on to compete in the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee this summer in Washington, D.C. His prize package includes a five-night trip for himself and a parent or guardian to attend the national event, along with a first-place trophy and subscriptions to Merriam-Webster Unabridged and Britannica Premium Online.
The competition was emceed by Perkasie Rotary President Bob Hipp, with Sabrina Shipeck-Matsuda, a German teacher in North Penn School District, serving as pronouncer. Judges included Denise Lorenz, Bill McGill and Amy Roslevege.
Finishing in second place was Maia Matthai, a seventh-grader from Keith Valley Middle School, followed by Brody Coen, a fifth-grader at Linden Elementary School in third. Matthai received a trophy, a one-year Merriam-Webster subscription and a $100 Amazon gift card, while Coen earned a third-place trophy and a $50 Amazon gift card.
The regional bee is sponsored by the Mideastern Region of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the Council for Advancing Public Schools, PSEA-Mideastern Region Retired, the Wissahickon Education Association and Merriam-Webster
