Sixth grade Kendrick Middle School student Rogelio Lopez took home the grand prize for the Region IV Spanish Spelling Bee on February 5, 2025. He won first place over the middle school division and earned a spot in the statewide spelling bee in June.

“I’ve always liked competitions, but usually I compete in the English Spelling Bee,” Lopez remarked. “My first language is Spanish, so if there was ever a Spanish one, I wanted to compete in it.” 

Lopez knew it would not be easy work. He sat down with his mom every day to prepare. “She had me write down all the words on a piece of paper, like a spelling test,” he said. “If I got one wrong, I’d redo it three times each.”

The support received by his community does not go unnoticed for this young champion. Lopez thanks his parents, his classmates, and his teacher, Mrs. Garcia, for their support in getting ready. He plans on spending the next six months preparing for the statewide competition.

Lopez shared a touching message for his fellow classmates who are interested in competing. “Believe you can do it, and you can,” he says.