Arlington ISD students went above and BEE-yond at the district’s spelling bees last week – and now the winners are heading to regionals.
This spelling season included three district bees – Area 7, Area 8, and the Spanish Spelling Bee – and students showed that a strong vocabulary, steady nerves, and a little confidence can take you a long way – sometimes even 36 rounds.
With families and teachers cheering them on, spellers proved that knowing your words and BEE-lieving in yourself really does matter.
The Spanish Spelling Bee highlighted bilingual skills, with Burgin Elementary sixth grader Emily Moreno taking first place after spelling “acalorado” [heated, hot, or worked up].
“It was a little hard,” Moreno said. “I was nervous. But I am proud of myself. Never stop fighting for what you want.”
The Area 8 Spelling Bee turned into a long one, going 36 rounds before Boles Junior High eighth grader Landry Padgett won with the word “tangential” [slightly connected or off to the side].
“It feels great,” Padgett said. “I was not expecting to get it right.”
To wrap things up, sixth grader Marcus De Guzman from Foster Elementary took first place in Area 7 after spelling “cambio” [a Spanish noun for money exchange].
Across all three bees, Arlington ISD students showed hard work, confidence, and spirit for their campus. Now, the district winners are moving on to regional competition, ready to keep spelling strong – one word at a time!
Congratulations to our 2025-2026 district winners! 🐝