A pair of El Paso Independent School District students advanced to a prestigious state spelling bee in Spanish.
On Monday, Shaheli de Silva and Ferran Martinez Caloca were recognized for advancing to the Texas State Spanish Spelling Bee, a prestigious competition that celebrates bilingualism, literacy, and academic excellence.
De Silva is a student at Young Women’s STEAM Research and Preparatory Academy, and Caloca is a student at Wiggs Middle School.
They received their spots at the state level following their performances at the 2026 Education Service Center Region 19 Regional Spanish Spelling Bee, held Saturday, Feb. 7.
The regional competition brought together top spellers from across the region, challenging students to demonstrate mastery of Spanish spelling, vocabulary and pronunciation in a fast-paced, academically rigorous setting.
The Texas State Spanish Spelling Bee, hosted by ESC19, is a statewide academic event for students in grades four through eight that highlights linguistic achievement and cultural appreciation. The 2026 state competition is scheduled for June 4 at the Starlight Event Center in El Paso.
Kristian Jaime is the Top Story Reporter for the El Paso Times and is reachable at Kjaime@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso students advance to prestigious Texas State Spanish Spelling Bee
Reporting by Kristian Jaime, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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