Lewis Middle School Student Wins Aldine ISD District Spelling Bee, Advances to Regionals

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Fernando Ortiz (r) and Santiago Valladares (l) pose with their first- and second-place trophies.

When the final word was announced, Lewis Middle School seventh-grader Fernando Ortiz carefully spelled it into the microphone.

“Blatant.”

Earlier in the competition, 31 of Aldine ISD’s top elementary and middle school spellers had taken their seats. Nearly an hour later, it came down to one student and one word.

When Fernando finished spelling correctly, applause filled the room. He was officially the 2026 Aldine ISD District Spelling Bee champion.

“I was very excited and shockingly surprised,” Fernando said.

With his victory at the district bee, held on February 19, Fernando will represent Aldine ISD at the 2026 Scripps Regional Spelling Bee on March 28 at Houston Community College.

A Journey Years in the Making

Fernando’s district championship this month marks the continuation of a journey that began years earlier. He won his first campus spelling bee as a third-grader at Greenspoint Elementary and later captured campus titles as a sixth- and seventh-grader at Lewis Middle School before competing at the district this year.

During this year’s competition, Fernando encountered a challenging word: hors d’oeuvres. Nonetheless, his preparation carried him through.

He challenged himself to study the word list provided by his teacher every night — and his advice to future competitors is simple:

“Study more and then study even more.”

A straight-A student, Fernando says he enjoys all of his subjects and lives by a favorite quote:
“Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today.” — Master Wu

Celebrating Literacy and Confidence

The annual district spelling bee united 31 students — 25 from elementary and six from middle schools — who advanced from campus-level competitions across Aldine ISD.

Hoffman Middle School seventh-grader Santiago Valladares earned runner-up honors after a strong showing throughout the eight-round contest.

“Congratulations to all of our participants for their hard work and effort,” said Judarrah Hawkins, Aldine ISD program director of elementary language arts. “Spelling Bee participation builds vocabulary, strengthens understanding of morphology, and increases student confidence. We are so proud of our spellers and can’t wait to cheer Fernando on at Regionals.”

Hawkins noted that the district spelling bee aligns with Aldine ISD’s literacy goals by strengthening language foundations, improving reading comprehension, and helping students communicate clearly in both speaking and writing.

Family members attended to support their campus champions, while pronouncer Matthew Padora, Jones Middle School theatre teacher, and judges Janeth Cornejo, Ana Aldrefeu, and Mónica Martínez led the competition.

Fernando’s dedication and growth reflect the power of persistence and preparation in the #AldineStory.

The Houston-area regional champion, to be determined at the March 28 Scripps Regional Spelling Bee, will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., in late May.