Katie Chan congratulates her son, Riley, 13, after he made it to the ninth round of the Orange County Spelling Bee and was knocked out with the word, “merganser” in Costa Mesa on Saturday, February 28, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The pressure mounts as Justin Lee and Catherine Kuo make it to the final rounds of the Orange County Spelling Bee in Costa Mesa on Saturday, February 28, 2026. Kuo went on to win second place. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kallan Cagle reacts to losing the round during the Orange County Spelling Bee in Costa Mesa on Saturday, February 28, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Contestants appear lost in thought as they wait their turn to compete in the Orange County Spelling Bee in Costa Mesa on Saturday, February 28, 2026. Seated are Riley Chan, from left, Justin Lee, Catherine Kuo, Advika Prasad, and Jooha Lee. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Sydney Tran of El Rancho Charter School in Anaheim, takes first place for the second year in a row in the Orange County Spelling Bee on Saturday, February 28, 2026. She correctly spelled, “charcuterie.” (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Spectators watch children compete in the 63rd annual Orange County Spelling Bee in Costa Mesa on
Saturday, February 28, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The parents of Advika Prasad, 14, Shweta Suman and Rishitosh Prasad, are on the edge of their seats as she competes in the Orange County Spelling Bee in Costa Mesa on She made it to a late round and was finally stumped by the word “jicama.” (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Advika Prasad, 14, is surrounded by the empty chairs of competitors who were knocked out of the Orange County Spelling Bee on Saturday, February 28, 2026. Prasad was unable to spell “jicama.” (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The 63rd annual Orange County Spelling Bee winners are photographed after winning in Costa Mesa on Saturday, February 28, 2026. Katie Chan won first, Catherine Kuo won second and Jooha Lee won third. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Katie Chan congratulates her son, Riley, 13, after he made it to the ninth round of the Orange County Spelling Bee and was knocked out with the word, “merganser” in Costa Mesa on Saturday, February 28, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
There were 32 spellers who won their district-level bees to advance to Saturday’s county finals. Stepping forward one after the other, they spelled words until the winner emerged — it took 14 rounds. The Orange County Department of Education coordinates the county bee.
Catherine Kuo, a seventh-grader from Fairmont Schools’ Anaheim Hills campus, finished in second place and Jooha Lee, a sixth-grader from Beacon Park K-8 School in the Irvine Unified School District, finished in third.
