8th grader Joshua Perez is Catskill Middle School’s 2026 Spelling Bee Champion! On January 28, our top spellers from grades 6-8 put their orthographic skills to the test in a showdown that took 16 rounds to decide. Ultimately, Joshua correctly spelled the word ‘deferential’ to fend off our runner-up, fellow 8th grader Jenessa James, for the big win. 6th grader Faith Howell took third place. Josh now goes on to compete in the Scripps Regional Spelling Bee on March 28 at the Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany. Congratulations to all our spellers!
