3 Houston kids to compete in 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee

• There are 23 competitors from Texas.

Zoom in: Zachary Teoh, a 9-year-old from River Oaks Elementary School, is one of only two third graders in the competition.

• He's joined by Houston homeschooler Logan Bailey and Haven Orsua, who attends Pasadena ISD's Melillo Middle School. Both are 12-year-old sixth graders making their first national bee appearances.

Flashback: Teoh tied for 74th in the 2025 national bee. Faizan Zaki, from the Dallas area, won that competition.

What's next: Preliminary and quarterfinal rounds will air May 26 and 27 on Scripps Sports Network.

• ESPN senior writer and analyst Mina Kimes will host the semifinals and finals May 27-28 on Ion.