Adhrit Chowdhury Wins Western New York Regional Spelling Bee

13-year-old from Williamsville Central School District advances to Scripps National Spelling Bee

Mar. 17, 2026 at 4:39am

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Adhrit Chowdhury, an eighth grader from Transit Middle School in the Williamsville Central School District, was the champion of the Western New York Regional Championship of the Scripps Spelling Bee sponsored by SUNY Fredonia. His winning word was "mortadella", a type of Italian sausage. The competition involved spellers from 22 western New York schools and lasted 13 rounds.

Why it matters

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a prestigious competition that encourages students to explore words and develop lifelong curiosity. Winning the regional bee is a significant achievement that can open doors for students to gain public speaking experience and demonstrate poise under pressure.

The details

Adhrit Chowdhury, 13, won the regional spelling bee by correctly spelling the word "mortadella". The competition was held at SUNY Fredonia's Juliet J. Rosch Recital Hall and involved spellers from 22 schools across western New York. Faculty and staff from SUNY Fredonia's Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences served as pronouncers and judges for the event.

  • The Western New York Regional Championship of the Scripps Spelling Bee was held on Saturday, March 17, 2026.
  • Adhrit Chowdhury will compete in the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee this summer in Washington, D.C. The semifinals will be on May 27 and the finals on May 28.

The players

Adhrit Chowdhury

A 13-year-old eighth grader from Transit Middle School in the Williamsville Central School District, who won the Western New York Regional Championship of the Scripps Spelling Bee.

SUNY Fredonia

The State University of New York at Fredonia, which hosted the Western New York Regional Championship of the Scripps Spelling Bee as part of its Bicentennial celebration.

Scripps National Spelling Bee

A prestigious national competition that encourages students to explore words and develop lifelong curiosity.

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What they’re saying

“Practice a lot. The more you put into it, the more you get out.”

— Adhrit Chowdhury

“It was a privilege to host the Western New York Regional Championship of the Scripps Spelling Bee as part of our Bicentennial celebration at SUNY Fredonia. All of the spellers were well prepared and great representatives of their schools.”

— Janeil Rey, Dean of the College of Education, Health Sciences, and Human Services

What’s next

Adhrit Chowdhury will compete in the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee this summer in Washington, D.C. The semifinals will be on May 27 and the finals on May 28.

The takeaway

Winning the regional spelling bee is a significant achievement that can open doors for students to gain public speaking experience and demonstrate poise under pressure. The Scripps National Spelling Bee encourages students to explore words and develop lifelong curiosity, which are valuable skills for academic and personal growth.