CARROLLTON, GA — Several rounds unfolded Wednesday afternoon before the Carrollton City Schools 2026 Spelling Bee champion was decided, with sixth grader Seth Thomaston earning the title in this year's competition.

Volunteer Fae Kelley has officiated the district spelling bee for more than 30 years, and she chose to start this year’s competition with a trivia question for the participants. She presented a list of elevated vocabulary words and challenged students to identify which modern writer used them in his or her works. Students pondered poets and novelists, but, to the students’ surprise, Kelley revealed the answer to be Taylor Swift. She invited them to consider the impact a thorough vocabulary can have, even through authors like the songwriters they know. 

After capturing their attention, the spelling bee began. As the rigor escalated, the competitive nature of the contestants did as well. Each student eagerly focused on every letter as they spelled. 

The final rounds unfolded in a unique scenario of two runners-up: fifth grader Shuvana K.C. and eighth grader Belinda Martinez Romero. Seth eventually claimed the victory when he correctly spelled “guttural.” He is the son of Shon and Sharon Thomaston. 

The grade-level qualifiers who competed against the winner and runners-up were fourth grader Daniela Campos Belmares, fifth grader Jude Caubo, seventh graders Hunter Chen and Lily Lovvorn, and eighth grader Zefira Rivera Manon. Three other students, fourth grader Michael Colbert, sixth grader Karina Garcia, and eighth grader Amaiya Deshields, placed in their school-level competitions. 

This year’s judges were Paula Holmes-Solomon, Susan Colgate, and Don North, newly elected City Council member.

Seth advances to the Region 4 spelling bee Saturday, Feb. 28, at Beacon Hill Middle School in Decatur, Georgia. The Georgia Association of Educators sponsors the regional and state bees. 
 

The winner of the 2026 Carrollton City Schools spelling bee is sixth grader Seth Thomaston, right, pictured with CMS Principal Dr. Eric Simmons, left. 

 

The Carrollton City Schools district spelling bee resulted in sixth grader Seth Thomaston being declared the winner, with two runners-up. Pictured from left are CMS Principal Dr. Eric Simmons, runner-up Belinda Martinez Romero, winner Seth, runner-up Shuvana K.C., and CUES Principal Tabitha Walker. 
 

Carrollton City Schools 2026 Spelling Bee participants, pictured back row from left, are Lily Lovvorn, Hunter Chen, Belinda Martinez Romero, Shuvana K.C., and Seth Thomaston. Pictured front row, from left, are Jude Caubo, Zefira Rivera Manon, and Daniela Campos Belmares.