A Neodesha sixth grade student places at the state spelling bee.
Northlawn Elementary student Camden Kerr finished in 8th place at the 2026 Sunflower State Spelling Bee on the campus of Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina last weekend. Kerr represented Wilson County after winning both the County spelling bee last month and the USD 461 bee in January. He's been competing in the local spelling bees since he was in fourth grade with the goal of qualifying for the state competition. Kerr joined students from all other counties in Kansas as part of the state spelling bee.
Other area students who competed at last weekend's state spelling bee include Ethan Winckler from Independence, Brooklynn Hiben from Oswego, and Aubrey Kaylynn Lampson from Chautauqua County.
The first place winner of the 2026 Sunflower State Spelling Bee was Kellian Peterson from Minneapolis in Ottawa County, with the correct spelling of ossificatory, a word that refers to the process of bone formation.
Peterson will move on to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. at the end of May.
