It took 19 intense rounds under the bright lights of the Porter Performing Arts Center, but when the final word was spelled, one thing was clear: Cadyn Gray is still the one to beat.

The Liberty Middle School sixth grader successfully defended his title at the 2026 Newton County Schools District Spelling Bee, becoming a two-time district champion after correctly spelling “deployment” and then sealing the victory with “digression.” The win marks Cadyn’s second consecutive year atop the district spelling stage—a feat that speaks to both talent and tireless preparation.

“It’s beautiful,” Cadyn said moments after securing the trophy.

Cadyn advanced through the competition without missing a single word, calmly navigating round after round as the field steadily narrowed. One by one, school champions from across the district were eliminated—until only Cadyn and Live Oak Elementary third grader Lailah Hood remained on stage.

Before reaching the final round, Lailah had already outlasted every other competitor, including the district’s middle school champions—with the exception of Cadyn—holding her own through multiple high-pressure rounds as the rest of the field dropped away. Her performance stood out not only for her poise, but for the fact that she was competing as one of the youngest spellers in the room.

In the final round, Lailah tripped up on the word “mince,” opening the door for Cadyn to secure the championship by correctly spelling “deployment,” followed by “digression.”

Lailah finished as the district runner-up—an impressive achievement for an elementary student competing against older spellers from across Newton County Schools. Each student in the competition earned their place on the stage as their school’s spelling bee champion, underscoring the depth of talent on display.

Cadyn credits his success to a disciplined and intentional study routine.

“When I won last year, I felt I could go farther. I study about 300 to 700 words a day on a daily basis,” he said.

Using the Word Club app, Cadyn spends three to five hours a day preparing, with extra help from his mom, who quizzes him by calling out words from his spelling book.

“I hear the word. See the word. Say it and spell it each time,” he explained.

Despite defending his title, Cadyn is already focused on what comes next as he prepares for the next level of competition.

“I know I have to work on vocabulary,” he said. “That’s how I got out of the regional bee last year. This time I’m going to study between 800 and 1,000 words a day. If I get the word wrong, I’m going to write it three times.”

Dr. Ashante Everett, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning for Newton County Schools, said the district spelling bee reflects the academic rigor and confidence students are building across classrooms.

“Our District Spelling Bee highlights strong literacy foundations, critical thinking, and perseverance,” Everett said. “Watching students like Cadyn and Lailah perform at such a high level—especially under pressure—speaks to their commitment to learning and the support they receive from their teachers and families. We are proud of every student who represented their school today.”

Cadyn and Lailah will represent the school district at the Region 5 Spelling Bee on Saturday, Feb. 28, at Edwards Middle School in Conyers.