Casey Barnhill, an eighth-grade student at the Madison Metropolitan School District’s Velma B. Hamilton Middle School, earned top honors at Saturday’s Madison All-City Spelling Bee, securing a first-place finish and advancing to the upcoming state competition.
Barnhill was among 41 students in grades three through eight who qualified for the annual event after winning spelling bees at their respective schools. Participants represented public and private schools across Madison. The competition, hosted at Madison College, spanned multiple rounds and tested students’ spelling knowledge and vocabulary skills.
Barnhill clinched the championship by correctly spelling the final word, “Ecuador,” in the concluding round. Joanne Aldoori of Madinah Academy placed second, and Ignatius Fassino of St. Ambrose Academy finished third. All three students will move on to represent the region at the Badger State Spelling Bee on March 21 at Madison College’s Mitby Theater.
This year marked Barnhill’s third appearance at the citywide competition and his second consecutive top-two finish, having placed second in 2025.
“Casey’s dedication and perseverance truly stand out,” said Dr. Carlettra Stanford, assistant superintendent of schools and learning. “Competing at this level requires discipline, resilience and a genuine love of learning. We are incredibly proud of how he represented Hamilton and all of MMSD.”
The Madison All-City Spelling Bee has been organized by the Wisconsin State Journal since 1949 and continues to celebrate academic excellence among students throughout the community.
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