‘Oboe’ takes win in Marion County Spelling Bee
2026 Marion County Spelling Bee champion Elias Javelona, Interim Superintendent of Schools Danielle Brewer and runner up Sophia Gonzalez. [Photo courtesy MCPS]
Fifteen students battled it out the evening of Feb. 18 to become the champion of the 25th annual Marion County Spelling Bee.
After nine rounds, the winning word was “oboe,” correctly spelled by Howard Middle School eighth grader Elias Javelona, who already qualified online to compete in the regional spelling bee next month. He also competed in Washington, D.C., last year at the Scripps National Spelling Bee and hopes to do the same this May, the news release from Marion County Public Schools noted.
This year’s runner up is Sophia Gonzalez, an eighth grader from Blessed Trinity Catholic School.
Allyson Werkheiser, an eighth grader at Fort McCoy School, also qualified online and can compete at the regional level.
For 25 years, MCPS has partnered with the Women’s Club of Ocala to make the Marion County Spelling Bee possible, the release stated.
This year’s competition was recorded live and will be available on the MCPS YouTube Channel (@MarionCountyK12) starting April 1. The delayed showing maintains the integrity of the Scripps National Spelling Bee’s word list, according to the release.
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