Aldine ISD to Host 2nd Annual District Spanish Spelling Bee

Disponible en: Español

Aldine ISD will host its Annual District Spanish Spelling Bee on Tuesday, November 11, from 4–7 p.m. at the M.O. Campbell Educational Center (Teaching Theater). This is the district’s second year to hold to the event.

This exciting event celebrates language, learning, and culture as students in grades 4–8 showcase their Spanish spelling skills. Each participating campus held a schoolwide Spanish Spelling Bee between October 14 and 24, with winners advancing to the district-level competition.

Due to limited seating, only parents and campus representatives are permitted to attend the district event in person.

Spanish Spelling Bee vs. English Spelling Bee

Dilan Galván, Yaritza Valladares, and Helen Padillo (l-r) earned third, first, and second place at the inaugural AISD 2024 Spanish Spelling Bee.

The Spanish Spelling Bee follows a format similar to the English version. However, contestants are allowed to write the word on a small handheld whiteboard before spelling it aloud, helping them visualize the word first.

A key difference is that Spanish contestants must include accent marks (such as é or ñ), dieresis marks (¨), and capitalization where appropriate. These details test both their language precision and understanding of written Spanish conventions.

Beyond spelling, the event promotes academic growth, confidence, and cultural appreciation, while highlighting the strengths of the district’s emergent bilingual learners.

Regional Competition

After the district event, three winners from each category (grades 4–5 and grades 6–8) will represent Aldine ISD at the Region 4 ESC Spanish Spelling Bee on February 4, 2026. The regional competition will be streamed live for families and supporters to watch.

Last year, Escamilla Elementary’s Dilan Galván and García Middle School’s Yaritza Valladares earned third place in the elementary division and second place in the middle school division, respectively.

Celebrating Language and Leadership

The district event is coordinated by Migdalia Treviño, program director of languages other than English (LOTE), and Ana Aldrufeu-Madrazo, program director of multilingual curriculum, under the leadership of Jacqueline Beas, executive director of literacy and social studies. Together, they aim to create enriching opportunities that elevate bilingualism, biliteracy, and cultural pride across Aldine ISD.

“The Spanish Spelling Bee aims to promote biliteracy, cultural pride, and academic excellence by challenging students to showcase their knowledge of Spanish vocabulary and spelling,” said Beas. “This event honors the rich heritage of the Spanish-speaking world while promoting self-assurance, leadership, and a passion for learning to understand and use the language.”