WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas — A seventh grader from North Texas won the the National Spanish Spelling Bee Championship in Albuquerque, N.M. over the weekend. 

White Settlement ISD officials said Melody Hinkle, of Brewer Middle School, beat out 34 other contestants from around America to claim the title!

Hinkle won $4,000 and a trophy, district officials said. As the defending champ, she’ll automatically qualify for nationals in 2026. Hinkle is a four-time national qualifier after placing top two at the regional level the past four years, according to the district.

In 2024, Hinkle finished in second place at nationals.

Hinkle is in White Settlement ISD’s Dual Language program, in which students learn both English and Spanish. In the program, students start learning both languages in pre-K or kindergarten. She’s also coached by WSISD Dual Language Coordinator Eva Valenzuela.

She is the second student from North Texas to win a national spelling bee this year. In May, 13-year-old Faizan Zaki from Allen won the Scripps National Spelling Bee championship.