The three finalists of the 26th annual Loudoun County Spelling Bee held at Stone Bridge High School. From L to R, the winner is Santos DeBarros, a home schooler, eighth grader Meaghan Rachal of Belmont Ridge Middle and fifth grader Sean Michael Bills of Emerick Elementary.

Photo: John McDonnell, Washington Post

Tagged: elementary schools, Loudoun County Public Schools, middle schools, private schools, schools, spelling bee

Eighth grader Meaghan Rachal of Belmont Ridge Middle and fifth grader Sean Michael Bills of Emerick Elementary. Bills place second in the competition.

Photo: John McDonnell, Washington Post

Tagged: elementary schools, Loudoun County Public Schools, middle schools, private schools, schools

Santos DeBarros shows off his smile after winning the Loudoun County Bee and earning a trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., on May 30 and 31.

Photo: John McDonnell, Washington Post

Tagged: elementary schools, Loudoun County Public Schools, middle schools, private schools, schools, spelling bee

Santos DeBarros, a home schooled seventh grader from Waterford, approached the microphone for the winning world, psychokinesis.

Photo: John McDonnell, Washington Post

Tagged: elementary schools, Loudoun County Public Schools, middle schools, private schools, schools, spelling bee

Santos DeBarros, champion of the Loudoun County Spelling Bee, and Sean Michael Bills of Emerick Elementary watch as Meaghan Rachal of Belmont Ridge competes for second place. 89 Loudoun County public, private and home-schooled students participated.

Photo: John McDonnell, Washington Post

Tagged: high schools, Loudoun County Public Schools, middle schools, private schools, schools, spelling bee