Columbia Falls student wins county spelling bee
HILARY MATHESON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months, 1 week AGO
EDUCATION REPORTER Hilary Matheson covers education for the Daily Inter Lake. Her reporting focuses on schools, students, and the policies that shape public education across Northwest Montana. Matheson regularly reports on school boards, district decisions and issues affecting teachers and families. Her work examines how funding, enrollment and state policy influence local school systems. She helps readers understand how education decisions affect students and communities throughout the region. IMPACT: Hilary’s work provides transparency and insight into the schools that serve thousands of local families. | March 5, 2026 11:00 PM
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.
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