Only one North Texan remains in contention at the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee after a grueling day of competition Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
Avishka Dudala, an eighth-grader at Lorene Rogers Middle School in Prosper, advanced to Thursday night’s finals after successfully navigating nine rounds of quarterfinal and semifinal spelling. The 13-year-old speller, sponsored by the Dallas Sports Commission, returns for her second consecutive year after tying for 41st place in 2025.
Dudala was one of 247 spellers who began the national competition Tuesday at the DAR Constitution Hall. By the end of Wednesday’s sessions, just nine finalists remained. She is the sole representative from North Texas in Thursday’s championship round, which begins at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on ION.
FOUR NORTH TEXAS STUDENTS ADVANCE TO QUARTERFINALS OF 2026 SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE
— The Dallas Express News (@DallasExpress) May 27, 2026
Benjamin Pearson (DeSoto), Avishka Dudala (Prosper), Krish Manjunath (Coppell), and Luke Sturlin (Burleson) moved past the preliminary stage in Washington, D.C. The competition continues… pic.twitter.com/qwKBeyqHhA
The competition, now in its 98th year, brings together top young spellers from across the United States and several international locations. Spellers face increasingly difficult words drawn from a broad dictionary list that tests not only memorization but also etymology, pronunciation and vocabulary depth.
Dudala first gained regional attention by co-winning the Dallas Regional Spelling Bee earlier this year. Her strong performance this week highlights the depth of spelling talent in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which sent multiple students to the national stage.
The champion will take home the Scripps Cup, significant scholarship money, and national recognition. For Dudala, reaching the finals already marks a major personal achievement and brings pride to Prosper ISD and the broader North Texas community.
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