2 Texas Kids Among 9 Finalists at National Spelling Bee

WASHINGTON — Two Texas students are among the nine finalists competing Thursday night in the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee after surviving a field of 247 spellers from across the United States and five other countries.

Avishka Dudala, 13, of Dallas, and Logan Bailey, 12, of Houston advanced through Wednesday’s semifinals to earn spots in the nationally televised finals.

The finalists represent seven states and include returning top finishers from previous competitions. Sarv Dharavane, 12, of Dunwoody, Georgia, advanced after placing third in last year’s bee as a fifth-grader. Shrey Parikh, 14, of Rancho Cucamonga, California, who tied for third place in 2024, also reached the finals.

This year’s bee includes participants from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories and five countries — The Bahamas, Canada, Ghana, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.

The finals will air Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. on ION and several Scripps-owned broadcast and streaming platforms.

The winner will receive a custom trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes, including $52,500 in cash, reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, a commemorative medal and flight credits from Delta Air Lines. Second place receives $25,000, while third place earns $15,000.

Other finalists include Aiden Meng, 13, of Danville, California; Oliver Halkett, 14, of Los Angeles; Zwe Spacetime, 14, of Fort Washington, Maryland; Ishaan Gupta, 12, of Jersey City, New Jersey; and Kushi Gottimukkala, 13, of Charlotte, North Carolina.

San Angelo's Sierra Oglesby, an eighth-grader at Trinity Lutheran School, qualified for the national spelling bee and finished in a tie for 196th place.