Some of the best young spellers in Southwest Michigan will take the stage later this month.
Berrien RESA, the regional agency serving local public schools, will host the 2026 Cloverleaf Spelling Competition on Tuesday, February 24 at the Mendel Center on the campus of Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor. The competition begins at 8:30 a.m. and continues until a champion is crowned. The event is open to the public and media.
The annual contest brings together the top three spellers from participating public and parochial schools across Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties. Each student earned their spot by finishing at the top of their school spelling bee earlier this school year.
At stake: cash prizes and, for the overall winner, paid admission to represent the region at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. this spring.
Participating schools include:
Berrien County
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Benton Harbor Charter School
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Berrien Springs Middle School
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Brown Elementary School, St. Joseph Public Schools
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Christ Lutheran Elementary and Middle Schools
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E.P. Clarke Elementary School, St. Joseph Public Schools
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Lakeshore Middle School
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Lincoln Elementary School, St. Joseph Public Schools
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New Buffalo Middle School
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Ring Lardner Middle School, Niles Community Schools
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Sylvester Elementary School, Berrien Springs Public Schools
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Trinity Lutheran School, Berrien Springs
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Upton Middle School, St. Joseph Public Schools
Cass County
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Dowagiac Middle School
Van Buren County
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Bangor Middle School
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Baseline Middle School, South Haven Public Schools
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Hartford Middle School
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Lawton Middle School
The event is sponsored by Berrien RESA, The Herald-Palladium, Lake Michigan College, D.C. Cook Nuclear Plant, and Hagen Meemic Insurance Agency, with additional support from Honor Credit Union, Pizza Hut of Michigan, Encyclopedia Britannica, Hexco Academic, and Merriam-Webster.
In the event of inclement weather, any cancellation information will be posted the morning of the competition at berrienresa.org.
For families, teachers, and anyone who enjoys seeing young people rise to the challenge, it’s a reminder that academic achievement still draws a crowd — and that a trip to the national stage could begin right here in Michigan’s Great Southwest.
