Kiwanis Club Tuscaloosa Spelling Bee Champ Headed To State Competition

The Tuscaloosa County Spelling Bee was held at Chapel Hill Baptist Church and sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Tuscaloosa.

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23 students from local elementary and middle schools participated.

After 30 rounds, the winning word was “plywood,” and the champion is Elizabeth Willford. Elizabeth is an eighth grader at American Christian Academy.

Runner-up was Hosanna Tsehaye, who is a sixth grader at Northport Middle School.

Elizabeth Willford will compete in the Alabama state spelling bee on March 22, 2026. The state winner moves on to the Scripps Howard national competition, televised on ESPN.

The Kiwanis Club is a proud sponsor of the Tuscaloosa competition.