25 South Dakota Students Qualify for State Spelling Bee

Twenty-five talented elementary and middle school students from across South Dakota will put their spelling skills to the test on February 7 as they compete in the South Dakota State Spelling Bee. The winner will earn the honor of representing the state at the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee, held in Washington, D.C., this May.

For the second year in a row, the state bee is being sponsored by South Dakota News Watch and Dakota Wesleyan University. The competition will take place on the Dakota Wesleyan University campus in Mitchell, bringing together students, families, and educators to celebrate academic achievement and a shared love of learning.

“Hosting the South Dakota State Spelling Bee reflects Dakota Wesleyan University’s commitment to academic excellence and lifelong learning,” said Jan Larson, director of marketing and communications at DWU. “It’s an honor to welcome students from across the state and celebrate their hard work, curiosity, and love of learning.”

The spelling bee is part of a larger, yearlong educational program that reaches millions of students nationwide and around the world. Through classroom materials and local competitions, the program helps students strengthen vocabulary, reading, and language skills.

Beyond spelling, participation in regional and state bees offers valuable life lessons. Students gain experience speaking in front of an audience, build confidence, and connect with peers who share similar interests. For many, the experience sparks a lifelong enthusiasm for learning and academic challenge.

Schools that qualified a winner for the state competition and earned the chance to represent South Dakota at the national spelling bee are:

• Brandon: Brandon Valley Intermediate School; Robert Bennis Elementary School

• Brookings: George S. Mickelson Middle School

• Clear Lake: Deuel School

• Estelline: Estelline Junior High; Sharon F. Delzer Elementary School

• Garretson School

• Madison Elementary School

• Milbank Middle School

• Mitchell: Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary School

• North Sioux City: Dakota Valley Upper Elementary Middle School

• Parkston Elementary School

• Piedmont Valley Elementary School

• Platte-Geddes Elementary School

• Rapid City: Saint Elizabeth Seton Central School; Saint Thomas More Middle School

• Scotland Middle Senior High School

• Sioux Falls: Challenge Center Elementary School; Good Shepherd Lutheran School

• Spearfish: Black Hills Christian Academy

• Sturgis Elementary School

• Vermillion Middle School; Vermillion Elementary School

• Waverly South Shore School

• Yankton: Sacred Heart Middle School

As these 25 students take the stage in Mitchell, they represent not only their schools and communities, but also the power of education to inspire and unite young learners across South Dakota.