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California student claims Scripps National Spelling Bee title
A 14-year-old from California secured victory at the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee after three intense days of competition in Washington, D.C., earning a $52,000 prize.
Final showdown at Constitution Hall
The 101-year-old contest concluded Thursday evening at Constitution Hall, where the last nine competitors faced off in front of an audience of family and supporters.
The championship round pitted the top two spellers against each other in a rapid-fire challenge, requiring them to spell as many words as possible within 90 seconds.
Winning word revealed
Shrey Parikh emerged victorious by correctly spelling 32 words, including the decisive term cashaw, which refers to a variety of pumpkin.
His opponent, 12-year-old Ishaan Gupta from Jersey City, New Jersey, accurately spelled 25 words from the same list but fell short of the winning total.
Nerves and triumph
Despite appearing composed on stage, Parikh admitted to early doubts during the competition.
"I knew the word, but when you're on stage, you always second-guess yourself. I'm relieved I trusted my instincts and got it right."
Shrey Parikh, 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion
Competition background
The annual event drew 247 participants aged 9 to 15, all vying for the prestigious trophy and cash reward.
This year's contest marked another chapter in the bee's century-long tradition of celebrating linguistic precision and youthful determination.
