The Kiwanis Club of Lafayette and the Kiwanis Club of Acadiana announced the winners of the 2026 Kiwanis Regional Spelling Bee, held March 6 at SoLAcc.
Students from 8 parishes competed in 2 separate spelling bees, and the Grand Champion Nayan Junampally of Edgar A. Martin Middle School advances to represent Acadiana in the Scripps National Spelling Bee being held during the week of May 25, 2026.
Winners of the 3rd – 5th grade bee are 3rd place: Alice Bradley, 5th grader from Cathedral-Carmel School in Lafayette; 2nd place: Karter Perry, 5th grader from Virgil B.Glencoe Charter School in Franklin; 1st place: Annmarie Kolwe, 5th grader from St. Cecilia School in Broussard.
Winners of the 6th – 8th grade bee are 3rd place: 7th grader Luke Richard from John Paul the Great Academy in Lafayette), 2nd place: 8th grader Drew McCoy from St. Francis School in Iota and Grand Champion Nayan Janumpally, 6th grader from Edgar A. Martin Middle School.
