2026 Fredericksburg Regional Spelling Bee Results

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY CRRL

Israel Mensah Wins Fredericksburg Regional Spelling Bee

FREDERICKSBURG, VA -- March 3, 2026 -- Israel Mensah of Stafford County Public Schools is the champion of the Fredericksburg Regional Spelling Bee, presented by Central Rappahannock Regional Library and sponsored by Fredericksburg Host Lions Club, Kiwanis Club of Fredericksburg, and Access Eye. Israel’s winning word was “ahimsa,” meaning the doctrine of refraining from the harming of others or the taking of life. Athena Lee of Stafford County Public Schools earned second place by spelling “palooka,” meaning an inexperienced or incompetent boxer. The competition involved 14 spellers from Caroline, Colonial Beach, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fredericksburg, King George, Orange, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Westmoreland. Contestants represented public schools, private schools, and home schools.

2026 Fredericksburg Regional Spelling Bee Champion Israel Mensah

The Library is proud to host the Fredericksburg Regional Spelling Bee, an event that reflects its mission to inspire lifelong learning for everyone in the community. Spellers competed at James Monroe High School in Fredericksburg on Saturday, February 28. Contestants reached this stage by winning classroom, school, and division bees and preparing with the “Words of the Champions” list, a 4,000-word study list provided by the Scripps National Spelling Bee. This rigorous process promotes stronger comprehension and application of language concepts and patterns and motivates thousands of students to increase their vocabulary development, improve their spelling and pronunciation, and enhance their reading capabilities.

Mensah now advances to compete in the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. The semifinals on May 27 and the finals on May 28 will be televised on ION and broadcast from the Bee’s new competition venue, DAR Constitution Hall.

Champion Israel Mensah and mother Jennifer Opoku

Left to right: Steve Flanagan of the Kiwanis Club of Fredericksburg, runner-up Athena Lee, champion Israel Mensah, Larry Andrews of the Fredericksburg Host Lions Club

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Contact: 

Kim Young

Director of Community Engagement

community.director@crrl.org

FOR MEDIA ONLY

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For more information, contact Executive Director Rebecca Purdy,

executive.director@crrl.org, 540-372-1144 x7003.

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