Cooper Campen makes history with third straight Alachua County Spelling Bee championship

Press release from Brad Campen

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Cooper Campen, a homeschooled student from Alachua County, has won the 2026 Alachua County Spelling Bee, becoming the first student in Alachua County history to win the county title three years in a row.

Campen outlasted a strong field of student competitors from across Alachua County during an intense 38-round competition, securing the historic “three-peat” victory by correctly spelling the final word, “calabash.” Second-place honors were earned by Isabella Mendoza of the Frazer School, following many intense rounds between the two competitors.

As the Alachua County champion, Cooper will attend the 82nd Annual First Coast Regional Spelling Bee in Jacksonville on Friday, February 27, 2026, with additional details to be provided by WJXT Channel 4 Jacksonville.

The winner of the regional spelling bee will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the nation’s premier spelling competition.

Cooper recently earned national recognition at the America 250 – The Great Debate National Civics & Debate Championship (January 2026), placing 4th Overall in the Middle School Division and winning 1st Place in Middle School Impromptu Speaking against more than 600 students from Florida and 14 other states.

The Alachua County Spelling Bee brings together top student spellers from public, private, and homeschool programs throughout the county. Cooper previously won the county title in 2024 and 2025, making this year’s victory a record-setting achievement.