Twenty-seven elementary and middle school students from around South Dakota qualified to compete Saturday, Feb. 7, in the state spelling bee at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell.
For the second year, DWU and South Dakota News Watch are sponsoring the competition that will send a winner to the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington in May. Financial support for Black Hills area students came from the Independent Insurance Agents of Rapid City.
Schools had until Jan. 16 to hold their own competition and crown a school winner who will take the stage in Mitchell.
“Hosting the South Dakota State Spelling Bee reflects Dakota Wesleyan University’s commitment to academic excellence and lifelong learning. It’s an honor to welcome students from across the state and celebrate their hard work, curiosity and love of learning," said Jan Larson, director of marketing and communications at DWU.
“We received incredibly positive feedback from participants and families last year, which speaks to the excitement and impact of this spelling bee. We’re proud to host the bee at DWU again, and invite the public to attend and support these outstanding students as they compete.”
The competition, held in the Sherman Center on campus, is open to everyone at no cost, and tickets are not required. Registration for the competitors will begin at 9 a.m. Central time Saturday, Feb. 7, and the bee will start at 10 a.m.
In late 2024, the bee reached out to South Dakota News Watch to see if it would be interested in covering the sponsorship fee to ensure the state was represented at the national competition.
"South Dakota News Watch is committed to civic engagement and powerful storytelling, so we’re proud to sponsor a program that showcases dynamic young South Dakotans, their remarkable dedication and the power of language," said Nick Kotzea, SDNW's board chair.
Schools that qualified students to compete at the state bee:
- 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
- Florence Middle 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; Cornerstone 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
Read the story on last year's state bee and how the winner did at the national competition.
This story was updated Jan. 27, 2026, with an additional participant school.
Do you value education? Please consider partnering with us by helping to cover the sponsorship costs at the link below to ensure the state competition continues.
This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit. Read more stories and donate at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email to get story summaries on weekdays. Contact CEO Carson Walker at 605-610-9366 (call/text) or carson.walker@sdnewswatch.org.
