Koen Harvey spelled his way to Scripps, then ‘burelage’ sent him home
Courtesy | Scripps National Spelling Bee
Koen Harvey, representing Tsaile Elementary School, competes in the Preliminary Round of the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
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Koen Harvey stood at the microphone at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. and asked for his word. The pronouncer gave it to him: burelage. Koen asked for the definition.
The pronouncer told him burelage is a fine network or allover pattern of lines or dots printed on the face or back of stamp paper as a protection against fraudulent changes. Koen asked for the origin. The pronouncer said the word is French.
The 14-year-old spelled “bureaulage.” The bell rang. The pronouncer gave the correct spelling: B-U-R-E-L-A-G-E.
Koen, a former Tsaile Public School student, went out in the first round of the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee, finishing 196th, tied with dozens of others who also did not survive the opening round of a competition where the last spellers standing had been preparing, in some cases, since they could say their ABCs.
He went back to his seat, sat with his mother, Tekayle Bitsilly, and kept watching, said Harvey.
To read the full article, please see the June 4, 2026, edition of the Navajo Times.
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