Ball State University

03/13/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/13/2026 08:13

Muncie Burris Student Leo Furlong Wins Third Straight Ball State PBS Regional Spelling Bee

For a third straight year, Leo Furlong, a seventh grader at Burris Laboratory Middle School, is the champion of the Ball State PBS Regional Spelling Bee.

At this year's competition, held March 7 at Sursa Performance Hall, Mr. Furlong correctly spelled "collegiality" to secure the regional title and earn a return trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The 2026 Ball State PBS Regional Spelling Bee featured 35 spellers from 35 local schools and lasted nine rounds. Tavimbanashe Anele Matangi of Eastbrook Middle School finished as runner-up.

Felicia Gray, assistant lecturer of elementary education at Ball State University, served as pronouncer for the competition. Judges, tasked with tracking every word and verifying spelling accuracy, were Stephanie Wiechmann and Casey Alexander. Kamna Agarwal served as recorder. Spellers prepared for the competition by studying "Words of the Champions," a 4,000-word list provided by the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Mr. Furlong once again advances to compete in the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington, D.C. The semifinals and finals are scheduled for May 26-28.

In addition to qualifying for the national competition, Mr. Furlong received the following prizes:

  • The Samuel Louis Sugarman Award, a 2024 United States Mint Proof Set provided by Jay Sugarman, chairman and CEO of iStar Financial, in honor of his father. Mr. Furlong will receive the prize this Summer.
  • Britannica Online Premium, a one-year subscription to the premier online resource from Encyclopædia Britannica
  • Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online, a one-year subscription to the official word source for all levels of competition for the Scripps National Spelling Bee
  • An all-expenses-paid trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee
  • Ray-Ban sunglasses with case from Family Vision Care
  • A $75 Visa gift card courtesy of Sam Pierce Chevrolet
  • A $25 gift card from Dave's Video
  • $30 in gift certificates from Culver's Muncie
  • A prize pack from Ball State's Teachers College

"We had a fantastic Bee this year. The spellers from across our region did an amazing job," said Ashley Mann, community education manager at Ball State Public Media. "We are thrilled to celebrate Leo's third consecutive win and wish him all the best at the Scripps National Spelling Bee."

The Ball State PBS Regional Spelling Bee will air twice on Ball State PBS: at 9:30 a.m. April 4 and at 8 p.m. April 9. The program will also be available for streaming at BallStatePBS.org.

Ball State PBS has sponsored the regional bee for 10 years. The competition encourages the exploration of words and lifelong curiosity while helping students set goals and dedicate time to study and prepare. Participation in the bee program also gives students experience in public speaking and poise under pressure.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee provides the list of words for the regional competition. The Bee reaches millions of students across the country and in other parts of the world through the classroom materials it provides to enrolled schools.
Ball State University published this content on March 13, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 13, 2026 at 14:14 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]