Jahnavi Doneparthi, a seventh-grade student at Liberty Pines Academy, won the annual St. Johns County School District (SJCSD) Spelling Bee held Wednesday at First Coast Technical College. She won by spelling the word “katana” correctly. The second-place speller was Betty Teplova, an eighth-grade student from Pine Island Academy.
It took 17 rounds for the winner to be determined. The participants were congratulated by School Board members Jennifer Collins, Dr. Linda Thomson, and Beverly Slough.
Forty-nine elementary and middle school students from 36 public schools and three private schools competed for the honor of representing St. Johns County in the First Coast Regional Spelling Bee scheduled to be held on Friday, February 27, 2026.
The winner of the regional spelling bee will advance to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee scheduled in May in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Rebecca England, SJCSD Program Specialist for Elementary Language Arts, served as the spelling bee coordinator and the pronouncer was Kate Houston, Program Specialist for Secondary Language Arts. Judges for the event were Sam Evans, 2022 Regional Spelling Bee Champion, Eilea Van Scoy, community member and SJCSD parent, and Cheryl Freeman, Director of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.
The Spelling Bee will be available for viewing at a later date on St. Johns Educational Access TV channels 99 or 262 and on the St. Johns County School District website.