WINDSOR, ON (February 28, 2026)
Windsor student wins 8th annual WFCU Credit Union Scripps Spelling Bee Regional Final
Following an intense competition featuring 34 elementary school students from across Windsor-Essex, Sarnia-Lambton, and Chatham-Kent, Isaac Brogan, a grade eight student at Maranatha Christian Academy in Windsor, has been named the 2026 WFCU Credit Union Scripps Spelling Bee Regional Final Champion. After successfully spelling the winning word “comprehensible,” Isaac was awarded the honour of representing our region at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. this May, along with a $200 Educational Scholarship.
The WFCU Scripps Spelling Bee Regional Final, held at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts on Saturday, February 28th, featured Windsor Star Managing Editor Craig Pearson as the Pronouncer. The event was sponsored in part by the St. Clair College Alumni Association. It was a close and competitive event, going 38 rounds before the Champion Word round, where Isaac successfully spelled his final word and was named champion. Congratulations go to runner-up Kavya Vasudeva, a grade eight student from Christ the King French Immersion Catholic Elementary School, who battled it out with Issac for 16 rounds.
“Supporting the next generation with meaningful opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive remains central to our mission,” said Eddie Francis, President and CEO of WFCU Credit Union. “We’re proud to once again champion the WFCU Scripps Spelling Bee Regional Final, helping inspire curiosity, confidence, and a love of learning in youth across our community.”
WFCU will host the fourth annual ECU – A Division of WFCU Credit Union Scripps Spelling Bee Regional Final in the Waterloo Region in March, bolstering its community support and programming for its growing Tri-City membership. As part of WFCU’s community engagement program, INSPIRE, the Scripps Spelling Bee Regional Finals promote literacy and language arts in an engaging way. They also align with the Credit Union’s mission to support organizations that contribute to the well-being of the community, with particular emphasis on youth, education, and health.
Isaac will now advance to compete in the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee, where he will compete against hundreds of students from around the world.
In addition to flight and accommodations during the event, and a $200 Educational Scholarship on behalf of WFCU Credit Union, Isaac has also won the following:
- The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online – a one-year subscription for the official word source for all levels of competition for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
- The Britannica Online Premium – a one-year subscription to the premier online resource from Encyclopedia Britannica.
“We were very proud of every student who competed at this year’s event,” said Beth Ann Prince, Manager, Community Investment, WFCU Credit Union. “Taking the stage took bravery, confidence and concentration. You are all champions and exemplify the spirit of the Bee. I’d also like to thank all the participating schools and teachers who invested time in the program.”
*To request media interviews, please contact Beth Ann Prince at bprince@wfcu.ca or 519.564.4275.
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About WFCU Credit Union:
WFCU Credit Union (WFCU) is a leading, progressive financial institution headquartered in Windsor, Ontario since 1940. Proudly serving families, community organizations, small businesses, commercial entities, and public institutions for over 85 years, WFCU is Ontario’s 6th largest credit union and among the top 20 largest in Canada.
Together with its retail divisions, Rapport, ECU, and Health Care, WFCU now operates 24 branches across Ontario from Thunder Bay to Kingston, Toronto to Windsor, and numerous communities in between. WFCU’s 80,000+ members can bank anytime, anywhere through a variety of service channels, including online and mobile banking, live telephone banking, and ATM services.
WFCU ended its fourth quarter* with $6.07 Billion in total assets.
*Numbers as at May 31, 2025.
About Scripps National Spelling Bee:
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the nation’s largest and longest-running educational program, having launched in 1925. The purpose of the Scripps National Spelling Bee is to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives. Visit spellingbee.com for more information about the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which is administered on a not-for-profit basis by The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP).
For more information, please contact:
Beth Ann Prince
Manager, Community Investment
WFCU Credit Union
519.564.4275
bprince@wfcu.ca
