Iowa Knights of Columbus Spelling Bee Contest
The Iowa Knights of Columbus Spelling Bee is open to youth in grades 4, 5, 6 and 7. Local spelling bees are hosted by Knights of Columbus Councils in January and February each year, with the top two finishers from each grade level advancing to one of four (4) Regional competitions. The top two finishers from each Regional grade level advance to the State competition.
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Northeast Regional - February 8th: Peosta (Locals: Davenport, Dubuque Holy Family, Peosta, Ossian)
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Southwest Regional - February 8th: Waukee (Locals: West Des Moines, Ames, Manson, Webster City, Waukee)
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Northwest Regional - February 9th: Milford (Locals: Fonda, Milford, Sheldon, Spirit Lake, Storm Lake, Emmetsburg)
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Southeast Regional - February 16th: Cedar Rapids (Locals: Grinnell, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls, West Liberty)
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State Finals - March 9th: Ames
More information is available on the State Calendar
Click HERE for the State Winners
Participant & Host Council Resources
To enter the Spelling Bee you must sign up for a local competition at the nearest Knights of Columbus council that is hosting a spelling bee. If you do not know of your closest Knights of Columbus council, send an e-mail to spellingbee@iowakofc.org.
State Winners
2025
To reach the State Spelling Bee, participants had to finish in the top three at their local spelling bee
and in the top three at one of four regional spelling bees
4th Grade
Francis Maxon, Clive - Champion
James Dirks, Cedar Falls - Runner-Up
Tess Burnett, Cedar Falls - 3rd Place
Other Contestants
Rory Griffin, Dubuque
Marcus Mullen, Dubuque
Arlo Althoff, Dubuque
Nora Schimmer, Storm Lake
Ellie Edward, Spirit Lake
Maddie Richison, Pocahontas
Hattie Neuendorf, Cedar Rapids
Hadley Hill, Urbandale
Cameron Umthun, Norwalk
Alayna Weiss, Clare
5th Grade
Dikshitha Chennuri, Waukee - Champion
Joel VerDught, Cedar Falls - Runner-Up
Damian Kruse, Ames - 3rd Place
Other Contestants
Savannah Waldron, Asbury
Kenadee Wenthold, Ossian
Jimmy Garrigus, Dubuque
Jackson Teague, Pocahontas
Vivian Poppen, Pocahontas
Jonathan Anderson, Fonda
Violet Iliff, Cedar Falls
Max Francois, Cedar Rapids
Keelon O'Neill, Rockwell City
6th Grade
Susanna Sung, Cedar Falls - Champion
Tova Hertel, Cedar Falls - Runner-Up
Jet Wingert, Fonda - 3rd Place
Other Contestants
Kate Klein
Jacob Christopherson, West Union
Isabella Dang
Grace Beck, Storm Lake
Aven Erie, Newell
Beckett Simanek, Cedar Rapids
Nathan Egeland, Urbandale
Adrienne Collins, Barnum
Addison Otto, Manson
7th Grade
Avery Peters, Ossian - Champion
Madelyn Driver, Cedar Falls - Runner-Up
Brandon Lansing, Cedar Rapids - 3rd Place
Other Contestants
Jimmy McKean, Asbury
Kenzie McCuddin, Sheldon
Nolan Braddock, Storm Lake
William Bilsland-Young, Cedar Rapids
Charlotte Lake, Ames
Giavanna Eckhoff, Manson
Srihitha Chennuri, Waukee
