Congratulations to Angelika Johnson, a sixth-grade student at Seventy-First Classical Middle School, for earning the championship title in Cumberland County Schools’ (CCS) Spelling Bee. Angelika, who after 18 rounds, secured the victory by correctly spelling the word “untenable.”
Fifty-seven students advanced to compete in the Preliminary Level II Spelling Bees held earlier this week, culminating in today’s championship round at the William “Bill” Harrison Educational Resource Center.
Earning second-place honors this year was Leon Oelfke of New Century International Elementary School, while Joseph Galeano of E. Melvin Honeycutt Elementary School secured a third-place finish.
Before the first word was ever spelled, students received encouragement from CCS Superintendent Dr. Eric Bracy, who set the tone for the competition with inspiring remarks.
“Today is about more than spelling a word correctly,” said Dr. Bracy. “It is about celebrating academic achievement, perseverance and the willingness to rise to a challenge. We are proud of every one of you. Take a deep breath. Trust your preparation. Enjoy the moment.”
Parents, teachers, classmates and staff watched with excitement as each student stepped up to the microphone to spell their words. The audience cheered them on throughout the competition, proud of the hard work and determination each participant showed.
In addition to qualifying for the national competition, Angelika also won the following:
The Britannica Online Premium - One-year subscription for the premier online resource from Encyclopædia Britannica.
The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online - One-year subscription for the official word source for all levels of competition for the Scripps National Spelling Bee
News-O-Matic - One-year subscription to News-O-Matic for her school.
Angelika now advances to compete in the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee this summer near Washington, DC, courtesy of Cumberland County Schools. The semifinals on May 26 and the finals on May 28 will be televised on ION and Bounce.
Photos captured during CCS' 2026 Countywide Level III Spelling Competition
The audience gives Angelika 'a standing ovation' after 18 rounds and one winning word: untenable.
CCS' 2026 Spelling Bee Champ Angelika Johnson takes a quick photo with her parents while proudly holding her coveted trophy.
Superintendent Dr. Bracy takes the podium to share words of encouragement with the Spelling Bee participants.
Pictured left to right, Angelika, Leon and Joseph receive applause for their perseverance.