Fort Collins Boy, 12, Wins Colorado Spelling Title, Will Compete at Scripps National Bee

Fort Collins boy, 12, wins Colorado spelling title, will compete at Scripps National Bee

Nikhil Ganta, a sixth-grader at Fort Collins’ Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School, won the 86th annual Denver Post Colorado State Spelling Bee at the University of Denver on Saturday.

2026 Colorado State Spelling Bee

Nikhil Ganta spelled amaxophobia to win the 86th Annual Denver Post Colorado State Spelling Bee at Sturm Hall on the campus of the University of Denver on March 7, 2026, in Denver. Eighteen of Colorado’s top spellers competed for the championship title on Saturday with an all-expenses-paid trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., in May. Photos by Seth McConnell, Special to The Denver Post

Nikhil Ganta, Kinard 6th Grader, Wins Colorado State Spelling Bee

Nikhil Ganta, Kinard 6th Grader, Wins Colorado State Spelling Bee tketchersid Mon, 03/09/2026 - 12:01pm Poudre School District student Nikhil Ganta might have come up just shy of the Colorado State Spelling Bee title last year, but in 2026 he would not be denied as he won the state championship over the weekend.  Nikhil, currently a 6th-grade student at Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School, won the Colorado State Spelling Bee title on Saturday af…