On Friday, January 23, 2026, Dax Murphy, an eighth-grade student at Calhoun Middle School, was crowned the Calhoun City Schools District Spelling Bee Champion. The competition, held at the CCS Board of Education Central Office, featured the top six spellers from Calhoun Elementary School and Calhoun Middle School, all competing for the opportunity to advance to the regional level and pursue a state championship.
In an exciting final round, Dax secured his victory by correctly spelling the word “vendetta.” Lydia Whitlock and Eliam Marroquin, both sixth-grade students from Calhoun Elementary School, delivered strong performances and remained competitive with Dax through eleven intense rounds.
The district competition showcased exceptional academic talent, with additional participants Bayler Plunkett (6th), Mohamed Herrek (8th), and Aniyah Brown (8th) selected from a pool of more than 1,500 students across Calhoun Elementary School and Calhoun Middle School.
Congratulations to all participants for exemplifying the Black and Gold Standard of Excellence. As we look ahead to the regional competition in February, we wish Dax Murphy the very best as he represents Calhoun City Schools.
A special thank-you to our Partner in Education, the Calhoun-Gordon Council for a Literate Community, for sponsoring this event. We also appreciate the support of our parents, teachers, and administrators for helping make opportunities like this possible. Calhoun City Schools is proud to celebrate student achievement across academics, arts, and athletics.
