CENTERVILLE — A seventh-grade student at a Centerville middle school won the Wright State University Regional Spelling Bee on Mar. 6.
Sidharth Nair, a Watts Middle School student, won the competition by correctly spelling the word “masseuse”, which is a person who practices massage, according to a spokesperson.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
TRENDING STORIES:
- 2 injured in ‘accidental’ shooting at area Kroger
- Students react to new safety protocols ahead of UD St. Patrick’s Day celebration
- Car overturns, causes crash in busy Montgomery County intersection, deputies say
In addition, Nair received one-year subscriptions to Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online and Britannica Online Premium, while his school received a one-year subscription to News-O-Matic.
Nair discovered his passion for spelling in the sixth-grade when he reached the finals at his school.
Determined to improve, he prepared for this year’s competition by studying the Scripps Spelling Bee Word App and the dictionary.
Nair also credited his parents, who also quizzed him regularly on the 4,000 words on the spelling bee’s official study list.
Wright State’s competition spanned 11 rounds and drew 48 students in grades four through eight from Greene, Clark, Darke, Miami, Montgomery, and Preble counties.
“Partnering with the Scripps National Spelling Bee brings a nationally recognized program to students across the Miami Valley,” said Susan Schaurer, vice president for enrollment, marketing, and career development. “We want every student to feel pride in their performance and excited about what their future could look like — including at Wright State.”
The win has earned Nair a spot at the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee, which is set for May 26 through May 28 in Washington, D.C., where he will compete with top spellers in the country.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2026 Cox Media Group
