Habersham County Schools crowned a new spelling champion on January 8, 2026, as Hridaan Patel of North Habersham Middle School claimed first place in the system-wide Habersham Scripps Spelling Bee.
The annual competition brought together 11 students, each a school-level champion, representing eight elementary schools and three middle schools across the district. After several challenging rounds, Patel emerged as the system-level winner, earning the honor of advancing to the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE) State Spelling Bee scheduled for February.
Patel was recognized following the event alongside Habersham County Schools Superintendent Patrick Franklin, celebrating a major academic achievement that reflects months of preparation, dedication, and perseverance.
Finishing as the runner-up was Michael Valdez of Hilliard A. Wilbanks Middle School, who delivered an impressive performance throughout the competition and remained in contention until the final rounds.
District officials praised all participants for their hard work and commitment, noting that each student had already proven themselves by winning at their respective schools.
The Habersham Scripps Spelling Bee continues to showcase the strong academic talent within Habersham County Schools, and the community now looks forward to cheering Hridaan Patel on as he represents the district at the state level in February.
Habersham News congratulates Hridaan Patel, Michael Valdez, and all of this year’s spelling bee participants on a job well done.
