Barnes County Spellers Head to State Bee

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The 2026 Barnes County Spelling Bee was held on February 2 in Valley City, with the top two spellers in grades 5-6 and 7-8 from schools across the county competing in written, vocabulary, and oral rounds. The winners, Jett Horsager and Owen Hovda, both from Barnes County North, will represent the county at the upcoming state spelling bee in Bismarck.

Why it matters

The annual Barnes County Spelling Bee is a long-standing tradition that showcases the academic talents of local students and provides them the opportunity to advance to the statewide competition, which can lead to further recognition and scholarships.

The details

Fourteen spellers from Barnes County North, Maple Valley, St. Catherine's, Washington Elementary, and Valley City Junior High competed in the county bee, which featured written, vocabulary, and oral rounds. The top two finishers in the 5th-6th grade division were Jett Horsager in first place and Blaiden Benedict in second, while the 7th-8th grade winners were Owen Hovda in first and Lilly Thorlakson in second.

• The 2026 Barnes County Spelling Bee was held on Monday, February 2 at 1 PM.
• The state spelling bee will take place on March 23 at the Bismarck Event Center.

What’s next

Owen Hovda and Lilly Thorlakson, both from Barnes County North, will compete at the state spelling bee on March 23 in Bismarck.