2026 McHenry County Regional Spelling Bee:

Any public, private or home schooled students within McHenry County can participate in the  Annual Scripps Spelling Bee events provided they have registered and enrolled with Scripps National Spelling Bee. The enrollment fee is $199 per school. Enrollment deadline is December 31, 2025.

School Champions will compete at the Regional Spelling Bee Event, which will take place at Richard Bernotas Middle School on a March 18, 2026.

All school district spelling bees must be held prior to February 28, 2026.

The dates and locations for each of our bees are as follows:

Regional Bee:
The McHenry County Regional Spelling Bee will have the opportunity to compete on Thursday, March 18, 2026. This event will be held at Richard Bernotas Middle School, 1701 N Oak, Crystal Lake, IL.

National Bee:
The winner of the Regional will move on to the 101st National Spelling Bee, which will take place May 24-29th at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.

 Questions?

For more information about how your students can participate, if you are interested in volunteering as a judge, or if you’d like to sponsor the Bee, contact Kim Walters at 815-334-3039.

Previous Winners: 

2025:
     Champion:  Tyler Kochanski, Saints Peter & Paul Catholic School
     First Runner-Up: Keegan Schultz, Marengo Community Middle School   
     Second Runner-Up: Ryder Plott, Immanuel Lutheran School

2024:
     Champion:  Evan Cochrane, Immanuel Lutheran
     First Runner-Up:  David Koll, Hannah Beardsley
     Second Runner-Up:  Lucas Fiedorowicz, Bernotas Middle School

2023:
     Champion:  Vishrut Kinikar, Cary Junior High
     First Runner-Up:  Neha Gopalakrishnan, Marlow Middle School
     Second Runner-Up:  Poornika Nag, Lundahl Middle School

2022:
     Champion:  Travis Melnick, Johnsburg Elementary
     First Runner-Up:  Lauren Mueller, Johnsburg Junior High
     Second Runner-Up:  Vishrut Kinikar, Cary Junior High