Kent ISD — Eighth-grader Sanskriti Parihar easily spelled “sardonic,” but she certainly was not mocking or cynical when she realized she had won the 2026 Greater Grand Rapids Spelling Bee.
Sanskriti, who attends Fremont Middle School, out-spelled 14 other regional qualifying students, representing schools in Allegan, Barry, Kent, Muskegon, Newaygo and Ottawa counties, at the competition last week.
“It has been a goal of mine to win ever since I attended the event in fifth grade,” Sanskriti said.
Her win means that Sanskriti will compete at the 101st Scripps National Spelling Bee, May 26-28 in Washington D.C.
Along with the trip to the national event, Sanskriti received a News-O-Matic subscription, a subscription to Britannica online premium, and a Merriam-Webster Unabridged online certificate.
Taking second place was Cedar Springs eighth-grader Christopher Thaddieus Smith III, and in third was eighth-grader Vonn Oosterhouse from Forest Hills Northern Hills Middle School. There was a tie for fourth place between eighth-grader Aanya Naveen, from Forest Hills Northern Hills Middle School, and seventh-grader Evelyn Fennema, from Moline Christian School. Each received a Merriam-Webster Collegiate dictionary.
All participants also received a personalized trophy.
