The 2026 Craighead County Spelling Bee, presented by Craighead Electric Cooperative, was held February 5 at the Fowler Center and brought together some of the county’s top young spellers for an evening of academic excellence and friendly competition.
Nineteen schools from across Craighead County were represented in this year’s competition, showcasing the talent and dedication of local students.
After several challenging rounds, the top three winners were:
1st Place: Kaylee Tran – Valley View Middle School
2nd Place: Peyton Jones – Douglas MacArthur Junior High
3rd Place: Carlie Jones – Annie Camp Junior High
Kaylee Tran will go on to represent Craighead County at the Arkansas State Spelling Bee on Saturday, March 7, at the Vines Center (Arkansas 4-H Center).
This year, more than 85,000 students across 430 schools in 58 Arkansas counties participated in classroom, school, and county-level spelling bees. As a result, the top speller from each county will advance to compete at the state level.
The Craighead County Spelling Bee was directed by Elizabeth Corey of MacArthur Junior High School. Judges for the competition were Lindsey Bowman, Jon David Carmack, and Tommie Sweat, and the pronouncer was Marty Scarbrough.
“We are incredibly proud of every student who participated in this year’s Craighead County Spelling Bee,” said Justin Etter, Chief Executive Officer of Craighead Electric Cooperative. “Opportunities like this challenge students to grow, build confidence, and strive for excellence. Supporting education in our communities is part of who we are as a cooperative, and we’re honored to help spotlight the achievements of these outstanding young leaders.”
As presenting sponsor, Craighead Electric Cooperative remains committed to investing in educational initiatives and celebrating student success throughout Craighead County.