The 61st annual Treasure State Spelling Bee was held at the Montana State University campus in Bozeman on Saturday, March 21, 2026.
The bee welcomed 52 spellers across 48 counties in Montana.
Winners were Nicholas Tian from Bozeman in first place, Jonathan Waters-Serrato from Chester in second place, and John Neuhaus from Cut Bank in third place.
Tian won the bee with the word “tomium" (the cutting edge of the bill of a bird or a turtle).
He received a $1,000 check and will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C., which will be held May 26 to 28. MTN is sponsoring his six-night stay.
Tian said it will be his first time visiting Washington D.C. When asked what got him interested in spelling, the eighth grader replied, “I read a lot of books.”
Waters-Serrato won a check for $600 and Neuhaus won a check for $400.
Ruby Wang, the 2024 champion, gave a presentation at the event.
