There was no mystery as to who won the 2026 Flathead County Spelling Bee. 

Columbia Falls Jr. High seventh-grader Scarlett Lawson took home the trophy with the winning word “cryptic.” She advances to the Treasure State Spelling Bee at Montana State University on March 21. 

Grace Cowles, a student at Cayuse Prairie School, came in second place at the county bee, which featured sharp spellers from public, private and home schools on Feb. 23 at Glacier High School. Hedges Elementary student Audrey Potter placed third.  

To make it to the county spelling bee, most competitors had to win at the school level.