Springing Forward: The Vocabulary Bowl Breaks Record After Record

The numbers are in, and the world's largest academic competition just outdid itself, again.

SAN MATEO, Calif., April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- They say April showers bring May flowers. When it comes to the Spring 2026 Vocabulary Bowl, it's pouring. More than 1.2 million learners across 122 countries just mastered a record-breaking 5.34 million words—topping last season by 16,000. Behind the numbers, learners embraced the thrill of the competition, racing to grow their word knowledge and build the kind of roots that last well beyond the final bell.

In the U.S., schools competed in three divisions based on enrollment size: Division I (1,000+ students), Division II (500-999 students) and Division III (up to 499 students). International schools, teachers and individual learners also faced off in their own brackets.

This season's winners? A mix of familiar powerhouses, comeback stories and fresh faces.

Shining bright: The Sunshine State had a standout season, claiming two Division I titles. Fresh off its Fall 2025 win, Fort Lauderdale's Saint Thomas Aquinas High School secured the high school crown with 75,000 words mastered—outpacing the runner-up by 30,000 words. And Wellington Landings Middle School in Palm Beach County made its debut on the leaderboard, earning its first-ever divisional and state titles.

Dynasties and first-timers: DuBois Area High School (PA) reclaimed the Division II high school title after being dethroned last season, marking a strong return to form. Buckingham Collegiate Academy (CA) extended its dominance with a ninth consecutive Division III high school championship, while Woodland Middle School (TN) earned its third straight Division II title. Known for its consistent state-level success, Hartville Middle School (MO) reached a new milestone this season—capturing its first Division III championship.

Au revoir: Singapore's Nan Hua Primary School returned to the top international spot after being edged out last fall by France's École Jeannine Manuel. And for the first time, Kenya entered the international rankings, represented by West Nairobi School.

Strong schools start with strong teachers. This season, 7,000 of them rallied their classrooms to expand their vocabularies. Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School (NY) stood out as the only U.S. high school with multiple teachers in the top 10. In the middle and elementary division, BIA Charter School (GA) placed three teachers among the top 10. And Singapore dominated the international rankings, with six of the top 10 educators representing four different schools.

The division winners for the Spring 2026 Season are (an asterisk indicates the school also had a top 10 teacher):

• Division I (1,000 students or more):
  • High School: Saint Thomas Aquinas High School (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
  • Middle and Elementary School: Wellington Landings Middle School (Wellington, Florida)

• Division II (500-999 students):
  • High School: DuBois Area High School* (DuBois, Pennsylvania)
  • Middle and Elementary School: Woodland Middle School (Brentwood, Tennessee)

• Division III (up to 499 students):
  • High School: Buckingham Collegiate Charter Academy* (Vacaville, California)
  • Middle and Elementary School: Hartville Middle School* (Hartville, Missouri)

U.S. state and territory champions are listed below, with the top high school listed first, followed by the leading middle or elementary school:

• Alabama: Isabella High School, Northridge Middle School
• Alaska: Minto School, Anchor Lutheran School
• American Samoa: Pacific Horizons School
• Arizona: Red Mountain High School, Sierra Verde STEAM Academy
• Arkansas: Central High School, Lincoln Junior High School
• California: Buckingham Collegiate Charter Academy*, Alice C Stelle Middle School
• Colorado: Broomfield High School, Cherry Creek Academy
• Connecticut: Fairfield College Preparatory School, Michael Wallace Middle School
• Delaware: Thomas McKean High School, Alfred G Waters Middle School
• District of Columbia: Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, Inspired Teaching Demo School
• Florida: Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, Wellington Landings Middle School
• Georgia: Cedar Shoals High School, Learning Tree Elementary School*
• Guam: Harvest Christian Academy
• Hawaii: Kalani High School, Kaimuki Middle School
• Idaho: Capital High School, Canfield Middle School
• Illinois: Oak Lawn Community High School, Marie Murphy Middle School
• Indiana: Manchester Junior Senior High School, East Central Middle School
• Iowa: Lenox Junior Senior High School, BCLUW Middle School
• Kansas: Lincoln Junior Senior High School, Jefferson West Middle School
• Kentucky: Boyle County High School, Crittenden County Middle School
• Louisiana: John Curtis Christian High School, Cecilia Junior High School
• Maine: Berwick Academy, Wells Junior High School
• Maryland: Chesapeake Math & IT PC - N High School, North Salisbury Elementary School
• Massachusetts: Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School, Rumney Marsh Academy
• Michigan: Mayville High School*, T L Handy Middle School
• Minnesota: Mayo High School, Stella Maris Academy (MN)
• Mississippi: Jackson Academy, McLain Attendance Center
• Missouri: Sarcoxie Middle High School, Hartville Middle School
• Montana: Lincoln County High School, Ben Steele Middle School
• Nebraska: Southwest Junior Senior High School, Saint Columbkille School
• Nevada: Bishop Gorman High School, Sig Rogich Middle School
• New Hampshire: Londonderry High School, Pelham Memorial School
• New Jersey: Saint Benedict's Preparatory School, Manalapan - Englishtown Middle School
• New Mexico: San Juan College High School, Artesia Intermediate School
• New York: Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School*, John F Kennedy Middle School*
• North Carolina: Southern Alamance High School, McGee's Crossroads Middle School
• North Dakota: Wishek Public School, Mandan Middle School
• Ohio: Walnut Hills High School, National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School*
• Oklahoma: Coweta High School, Clyde Boyd Middle School & Sixth Grade Center
• Oregon: Oregon Charter Academy, Nyssa Middle School
• Pennsylvania: DuBois Area High School*, Penn Alexander School
• Rhode Island: Lincoln High School, Immaculate Conception Catholic Regional School
• South Carolina: Catawba Ridge High School, R P Dawkins Middle School
• South Dakota: Castlewood School, Harrisburg North Middle School
• Tennessee: Winchester Christian Academy, Woodland Middle School
• Texas: Keystone School*, Gregory - Portland Middle School
• Utah: Judge Memorial Catholic High School, Wasatch Junior High School
• Vermont: Enosburg Falls Middle High School, Christ the King School
• Virginia: St Anne's - Belfield School, Old Donation School
• Washington: Moses Lake Christian Academy*, Deer Park Middle School
• West Virginia: Scott High School, John Adams Middle School
• Wisconsin: Milwaukee High School of Arts, Oak Creek West Middle School*
• Wyoming: Pine Bluffs Jr/Sr High School, Lyman Intermediate School

The Canadian Provincial Winners are:

• Alberta: Central High Sedgewick Public School
• British Columbia: West Point Grey Academy
• Manitoba: Deloraine School
• New Brunswick: Sussex Christian School
• Ontario: YMCA Academy, Joan Of Arc Academy
• Quebec: École internationale Lucille-Teasdale
• Saskatchewan: Miller Comprehensive High School

The international division ranks schools based solely on total words mastered—no size brackets.

The International (non-US/Canada) Winners are:

• Nan Hua Primary School - Singapore
• The Galaxy School - Wadi - India
• École Jeannine Manuel - France
• One Target Education - Singapore
• Menntaskólinn á Tröllaskaga - Iceland
• WWW Wahroonga - Australia
• The American College of Sofia - Bulgaria
• Raffles Institution - Singapore
• West Nairobi School - Kenya
• Shanghai SMIC Private School - China

The Top Rookie Schools are:

• Cherry Creek Academy* - Colorado
• Rumney Marsh Academy - Massachusetts
• Priority Charter Schools-Copperas Cove* - Texas
• North Platte Catholic Schools- Nebraska
• Saint John Evangelist School - Maryland

"Breaking records is exciting, but what's truly remarkable is what's behind them: millions of students who chose to keep learning, competing and pushing themselves," said Paul Mishkin, CEO of IXL Learning, Vocabulary.com's parent company. "The Vocabulary Bowl was built on the idea that learning a new word should feel like a win in itself, and season after season, students and teachers around the world prove just how powerful that motivation can be."

Learning that sticks
The Vocabulary Bowl turns vocabulary building into a game, making it fun and rewarding for learners of all ages and abilities. Students master words at their own pace using Vocabulary.com's adaptive technology, earning points for themselves and their schools. Teachers rally their classes by celebrating top scorers and team wins. Every word learned helps develop the reading, writing and communication skills students need for school and beyond.

For details on how to participate in the Fall 2026 season, visit https://www.vocabulary.com/bowl/rules.

About Vocabulary.com
Founded in 2010, Vocabulary.com transforms vocabulary instruction, teaching students the words they need to know to achieve more in school and life. The adaptive platform personalizes learning by identifying each student's vocabulary needs and creating individualized learning plans. With over 17,000 curated resources aligned with textbooks, novels and English language learner content, Vocabulary.com seamlessly integrates into any curriculum. Gamified features, including the Vocabulary Bowl, engage and motivate students through fun, interactive competitions. To date, 5.2 million learners have answered 9billion questions and mastered 446 million words on Vocabulary.com. Vocabulary.com joined the IXL Learning family in 2020.

Press Contact
Joslyn Chesson
IXL Learning
[email protected]

SOURCE IXL Learning