Gene Dillon's Malachi Farder named 2026 Spelltacular champion

Gene Dillon's Malachi Farder named 2026 Spelltacular champion

BEMIDJI — Fifth-grader Malachi Farder has read millions of words in his lifetime, all the preparation he would need to secure his position as champion of the 40th annual Spelltacular. Held at Bemidji Middle School on Thursday, 13 spellers spanning fifth through eighth grade took their turns at the microphone, carefully spelling each word given to them by pronouncer Kate Pearson, who also provided definitions, homonyms and used each word in a sen…