"Exhilarating", "exciting", "amazing" – these are just some of the words that our contestants, judges, and teachers from international schools and enrichment centres used to describe the first ever HoneyKids Spelling Bee. Here's what went down.
Four international schools from around Singapore sent their student representatives to compete in the first ever HoneyKids Spelling Bee. But it wasn’t a competition that merely focused on literacy and vocabulary; it was an opportunity for children to learn while having fun in a supportive environment. Most importantly, we want to recognise their efforts and achievements.
In fact, we even witnessed a touching moment of true sportsmanship when two contestants advocated not for themselves, but for each other. We couldn’t be prouder of our young spellers!
HoneyKids Spelling Bee 2026, in a nutshell.
Organised for children aged nine to 14 years old, our contestants competed with their peers in four age group categories over two days. The semi-finals was held at Overseas Family School (OFS) on 30 April, with the finalists competing at Australian International School (AIS) on 7 May. After two exhilarating competition days, 33 contestants, and close to 400 words, we’ve got our winners:
U-10 category winner: Venice from One World International School (OWIS)
U-11 category winner: George S from AIS
U-12 category winner: Dhanya from OFS
U-13 category winner: Daksh from OFS
Each winner brought home a HoneyKids Spelling Bee 2026 trophy, a Kindle Paperwhite Kids ebook reader, and $100 Yo-Chi voucher. Every contestant also got a certificate of participation as well.
Check out our reel for the full lowdown.
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Thank you and well done to our contestants from the participating international school
Australian International School
AIS has over 30 years of history in Singapore, offering children a holistic education with strong academic focus, underpinned by Australian values. It’s a prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) school with a diverse student body of over 50 nationalities. AIS is also an award-winning school, recently winning Gold for The Curriculum Awards (IB), Silver for Best Outdoor Learning Programme, and Silver for International School with the Most Future-Ready Students in the 2025 Singapore Education Awards.
International Community School (Singapore)
Size is International Community School (Singapore)’s strength, and the school has proven its mettle by winning the Best Small School in Singapore category in our Singapore Education Awards for four consecutive years. It’s a non-profit school that offers the American curriculum through a faith-based education, committing to helping children achieve excellence academically, personally, and spiritually.
One World International School
Known for its kindness-led approach to education, OWIS provides families with an inclusive space, where children are empowered to flourish. This is an IB and Cambridge international school that celebrates cultural diversity, part of its well-rounded education approach that prepares children for an interconnected world. OWIS has three campuses around Singapore – Nanyang (Jurong), Digital Campus (Punggol), and Newton.
Overseas Family School
OFS is one of the few non-selective international schools in Singapore, where every child can take the full IB Diploma and participate in any sports programmes that they like. The school believes that every child has a right to a meaningful education that suits their needs, and it has a faculty of passionate educators to support them to achieve excellence. OFS has many success stories to share, with perfect IBDP scorers and producing an average of 35 points for the 2025 IBDP exams.
A big thank you to our HoneyKids Spelling Bee judges
Our Spelling Bee was judged by experienced English language teachers in Singapore, and we thank them for taking time to be a part of the inaugural competition.
Jennifer Looi, English by Jen
Jennifer has over 30 years of teaching experience, previously teaching in local schools governed by the Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE). She’s an author of more than 10 English assessment books, as well as a former contributor of The Straits Times’ Little Red Dot publication for school children. Jennifer also recently conducted the English Masterclass run by The Straits Times’ Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) Companion.
Jovin Loh, Academia Education
Jovin Loh is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and co-founder of Academia Education, a leading English, Literature, and General Paper tuition centre in Singapore. Prior to serving as CEO of Academia, he was Chief Investment Officer at the Nair family office, bringing institutional discipline, strategic judgement, and long-term thinking to both education and capital stewardship. An Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) alumnus, he holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the National University of Singapore and a Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. As a father of two young boys, his work in education is deeply personal: he builds for the next generation so children, including his own, can learn essential skills as effectively as possible and grow into clear, capable thinkers who will shape the future they want to see.
Lily Chew, Lil’ but Mighty
Lily Chew is an education entrepreneur and the founder of Lil’ but Mighty, a Singapore-based English education company specialising in strategy-driven learning for primary and secondary students. She is recognised for her ability to break down complex language skills into clear, actionable frameworks that students can apply with confidence.
Under her leadership, Lil’ but Mighty has grown into a respected name among parents seeking effective English instruction. Lily is also a regular contributor to parenting and education platforms, where she shares practical insights on helping children succeed in today’s academic landscape.
The HoneyKids Asia Spelling Bee was also made possible thanks to our supporting partners
Academia Education
Founded by a Princeton grad and local top student, Academia Education believes that learning should never be a chore. You won’t find a curriculum that’s boring or plain old cookie-cutter here; the centre and its team of expert instructors (comprising graduates from top local universities, Ivy League institutions, and Oxbridge) incorporate students’ interests into each lesson to make the learning experience engaging for them. Academia Education specialises in English, Literature, and General Paper (GP), and is the gold winner of Best English Language Enrichment Centre in our Singapore Education Awards for three consecutive years. Almost 100% of its students achieve A/B in the Singapore O-Level English, and more than 70% scored Distinction for the A-Level GP.
Lil’ but Mighty
Lil’ but Mighty is an enrichment centre that specialises in primary and secondary level English, focusing on helping students excel with clarity, confidence, and consistency. The centre uses a combination of structured curriculum design, engaging teaching methods, and a deep understanding of MOE requirements to help students thrive in exams and in their communication skills. At Lil’ but Mighty, students don’t just learn, but share and replay their lessons to deepen understanding and reinforce learned knowledge. The centre’s teachers are rigorously trained to deliver lessons with consistency and precision, equipping students with exam techniques and answering skills to excel in national exams like the PSLE. Lil’ but Mighty is also the Editor’s Choice winner of Best English Language Enrichment Centre in our 2025 Singapore Education Awards.
Want to be a part of the HoneyKids Asia Spelling Bee in 2027? Get in touch with us so we can share the available opportunities with you.
