BISMARCK – Students from across the state will participate in the North Dakota Spelling Bee on Monday at the Bismarck Event Center in Bismarck.

Minot and area students competing at the event include Ward County winners Chilaka Ugobi of Our Redeemer’s Christian School and Kohen Merkel of Erik Ramstad Middle School; Mountrail County winners Bobbi Young Bird and Marc Ernest Guevarra of New Town Junior High School; Pierce County winners Bella Grove and Pius Wangler of Rugby Junior/Senior High School; McHenry County winners Madisyn Brown of Velva Public School and Nicholas Long of TGU Granville School; McLean County winners Draven Lund of Garrison High School and Reed Persson of Wilton Public School; and Renville County winners Isabella Rogers and Julia Young of Glenburn Public School. Young Bird and Ugobi previously competed at the State Spelling Bee in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

The spellers, representing 50 of the 53 counties in North Dakota, will take part in a written test, containing 50 spelling words and 20 vocabulary questions. The top test scores will whittle down 25 finalists to advance to the oral spelldown session in the afternoon before an expected audience of 250 made up of family, volunteers, teachers, school administrators and spectators. The oral spelldown will proceed until a champion is declared.

“We are thrilled to welcome 100 of North Dakota’s top spellers to the State Spelling Bee. This year’s competitors range from fourth through eighth grade, with 24 of them returning for at least their second appearance at the State Bee,” Miranda Streifel, NDACS Spelling Bee director, said. “These spellers have demonstrated incredible dedication, hard work and perseverance to reach this level of competition. We are proud to provide this opportunity for students across the state and look forward to an exciting competition.”

Prizes will be awarded to the first, second, third and fourth place finishers. The champion will receive one-year subscriptions to Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online and Britannica Online Premium, and the Samuel Louis Sugarman Award.

The oral spelldown is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. in the Prairie Rose Rooms 102 and 103 at the Bismarck Event Center.