Photo by Richard Hurd
Velma B. Hamilton Student Claims 2026 All-City Spelling Bee Title
MADISON, Wis.—Casey Barnhill, an eighth-grade student at the Madison Metropolitan School District’s Velma B. Hamilton Middle School, earned top honors at Saturday’s Madison All-City Spelling Bee, securing a first-place finish and advancing to the upcoming state competition.
Barnhill was among 41 students in grades three through eight who qualified for the annual event after winning spelling bees at their respective schools. Participants represented public and private schools across Madison. The competition, hosted at Madison College, spanned multiple rounds and tested students’ spelling knowledge and vocabulary skills.
Barnhill clinched the championship by correctly spelling the final word—”Ecuador”—in the concluding round. Joanne Aldoori of Madinah Academy placed second, and Ignatius Fassino of St. Ambrose Academy finished third. All three students will move on to represent the region at the Badger State Spelling Bee on March 21 at Madison College’s Mitby Theater.
This year marked Barnhill’s third appearance at the citywide competition and his second consecutive top-two finish, having placed second in 2025.
“Casey’s dedication and perseverance truly stand out,” said Dr. Carlettra Stanford, assistant superintendent of schools and learning. “Competing at this level requires discipline, resilience and a genuine love of learning. We are incredibly proud of how he represented Hamilton and all of MMSD.”
The Madison All-City Spelling Bee has been organized by the Wisconsin State Journal since 1949 and continues to celebrate academic excellence among students throughout the community.
In total, MMSD was represented by 28 competitors:
| Milan Ayachit (Grade 6) Georgia O’Keeffe Middle | Sofia Munoz Kiley (Grade 4) Lincoln Elementary | Logan Scherck (Grade 4) Dr. V. Henderson Elementary |
| Kuzma Babkin (Grade 5) Van Hise Elementary | Xinyan (Beney) Lin (Grade 5) Paul J. Olson Elementary | Inez Schultz-Brinkman (Gr. 4) Nuestro Mundo Elementary |
| Casey Barnhill (Grade 8) Velma B. Hamilton Middle | Fernando Lopez (Grade 8) Black Hawk Middle | Noah Singh (Grade 5) Glenn Stephens Elementary |
| Theo Eggerling-Boeck (Gr. 8) Cherokee Heights Middle | Mary Lubner (Grade 5) Shorewood Hills Elementary | Rhys Stolte (Grade 5) John F. Kennedy Elementary |
| James Bull (Grade 4) C.A. Elvehjem Elementary | Wren McCluskey (Grade 4) Orchard Ridge Elementary | Rashi Tiwari (Grade 6) Spring Harbor Middle |
| Cece Erling (Grade 7) James C. Wright Middle | Jordan Mitchell (Grade 8) Ray F. Sennett Middle | Aurora Wicihowski (Grade 8) Akira R. Toki Middle |
| James Hahn (Grade 5) Thoreau Elementary | Christian Moore (Grade 4) Crestwood Elementary | Will Wohlgamuth (Grade 7) Badger Rock Middle |
| Jack Houseman (Grade 8) A.G. Whitehorse Middle | Ruby Noguchi (Grade 5) Emerson Elementary | Esmae Xiong (Grade 5) Lake View Elementary |
| Julia Kidarsa (Grade 6) Ezekiel Gillespie Middle | Yasmin Sachs (Grade 5) Aldo Leopold Elementary | Cleo Zapala-Voss (Grade 5) Marquette Elementary |
| Myra Sanghavi (Grade 3) Ray W. Huegel Elementary |
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About the Madison Metropolitan School District
The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is the second-largest school district in Wisconsin, serving more than 25,000 students across 52 schools. The district’s vision is that every school will be a thriving school that prepares every student to graduate ready for college, career and community. With more than 6,000 teachers and staff, MMSD is committed to ensuring the district’s goals and core values are held at the center of its efforts, so students can learn, belong and thrive. For more information, visit mmsd.org.