The champion of the 2026 Chester County Spelling Bee, Yohaan Damani, Downingtown Middle School, proudly holds up his first-place ribbon.
Yohaan Damani of Downingtown Middle School is the first place winner of the 2026 Chester County Spelling Bee that took place on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at Collegium Performing Arts Center. Yohaan spelled his way to victory with the winning word “predecessor” (P-R-E-D-E-C-E-S-S-O-R). His victory qualifies him to represent the Chester County region this spring at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
“I’m excited to be on the national stage and represent Chester County,” said Yohaan. “I started preparing for the spelling bee just for fun, so winning the competition is both a surprise and a rewarding accomplishment.”
Also placing in this year’s spelling bee was Santosh Kandasamy of G. A. Stetson Middle School, coming in second place. Brooke Bainbridge of Lionville Middle School and Cadel McBee of Saints Simon and Jude School tied for third place.
“The spelling bee goes beyond spelling; it gives students an opportunity to grow academically and personally, by building confidence while expanding their vocabulary,” said Jay Della Ragione, special events coordinator for the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU), who organized the event. “Their hard work and dedication are inspiring to see.”
Each student earned the invitation to compete in the Chester County Spelling Bee by achieving first place in their sending school’s spelling bee. Forty-one students competed in this year’s event and spelled their way through more than 135 words.
When asked what advice he would give to other aspiring spellers, Yohaan emphasized curiosity and practice. “I’ve always enjoyed learning new words by reading and exploring different interests,” Yohaan said. “Even outside of books, you can build your vocabulary through games, forums, and other content you enjoy. My advice to other spellers is to keep exposing yourself to new words and practice more than you think you need to.”
As spelling bee champion, Yohaan received a one-year subscription to Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online, a one-year subscription to the Encyclopedia Britannica Online Premium, a one-year subscription to News-O-Matic, a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card, and a Scrabble board game. The second-place winner received a $35 Barnes & Noble gift card, and a Bananagrams game; the third-place winners each received a $20 Barnes & Noble gift card and a Bananagrams game.
The Chester County Spelling Bee is a qualifying competition for the Scripps National Spelling Bee, where competitors from across the country gather to spell their way to the top. The 2026 Chester County Spelling Bee was coordinated by the CCIU and sponsored by CCRES Educational and Behavioral Health Services and Orthographer sponsor, Horace Mann.
To learn more about the Chester County Spelling Bee, visit www.cciu.org/spelling-bee or contact Jay Della Ragione at 484-237-5053 or JayD@cciu.org
