Prosper eighth grader advances to Scripps Spelling Bee finals

A Rogers Middle School eighth grader put Prosper ISD back on the national spelling-bee map when Avishka Dudala advanced to the final round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee after spelling Kangli correctly in the semifinals.

Dudala, 13, is one of only nine finalists out of a field of 247 spellers at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. The 2026 Bee, held May 26-28, marked the competition’s first return to Washington in 15 years and only the 10th venue in its 101-year history. Scripps said the onstage rounds, including preliminaries, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, were all held at Constitution Hall.

For Prosper families watching from Collin County, Dudala’s run carried local weight well beyond a national academic contest. She was the only North Texas speller to make the finals after advancing through nine rounds, a standout result in a field that included 169 first-time competitors and 72 veterans. Dudala also had a regional resume that matched the moment: she was a co-champion of the 68th Annual Dallas Regional Spelling Bee, where she tied for first with Krish Manjunath and Benjamin Pearson placed third.

That regional bee drew 27 contestants from 20 North and East Texas counties, representing about 100,000 students from more than 840 schools. The Dallas Sports Commission said it has advanced the top three spellers to Scripps for nine consecutive years, part of a stretch that has made North Texas one of the nation’s strongest spelling regions. Monica Paul, the commission’s executive director, said the Dallas region continues to be recognized as one of the strongest in the country and that the finalists represent North and East Texas on the national stage.

Dudala’s path also connects to the region’s recent spelling-bee success. Last year’s winner was Plano ISD’s Faizan Zaki, who now lives in Allen, adding to the sense that North Texas has become a pipeline for elite spelling talent. Scripps listed Dudala as speller No. 207, an eighth grader representing the Dallas Sports Commission and Dallas, Texas.

Beyond the competition itself, Dudala brings a familiar student profile to the national stage. FOX 4 reported that she finished 41st in 2025, likes adventure stories and creative writing, and plays tennis. In Prosper, where growth and school pride are closely watched, her place among the Bee’s final nine gave local families a national academic spotlight to follow from Rogers Middle School to Washington.