Dubai, UAE, February 2026: Emirates Islamic, one of the leading Islamic financial institutions in the UAE, proudly celebrates the win of [Seth Warren Bacongallo] as the Spelling Bee Champion UAE, who will go on to represent the country at the prestigious global finals in the USA.
As the Presenting Sponsor of the Spelling Bee Championship UAE, Emirates Islamic reinforced its commitment to empowering young minds by supporting both academic excellence and financial literacy among school students. A total prize pool of
AED 65,000 has been awarded as part of the Championship, with AED 15,000 presented to the winner, alongside prizes for runners-up and top-performing students.
The initiative aligns closely with the bank’s mission to nurture responsible financial habits from a young age through its recently launched ALPHA Youth Account, which has already seen strong acceptance from both parents and students across the UAE.
Designed specifically for the next generation, the ALPHA Youth Account reflects Emirates Islamic’s ongoing commitment to community empowerment, financial inclusion and innovation in Islamic Banking. Key features include a dedicated debit card, mobile banking access tailored for youth, savings encouragement and opportunities to participate in exclusive reward programmes. Through ALPHA, Emirates Islamic aims to build confidence, independence and financial awareness among students as they grow older.
The Spelling Bee Championship UAE finals were conducted in partnership with Scripps National Spelling Bee (USA), with Corrie Loeffler, Executive Director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, attending the event alongside official pronouncer Brian Sistema, who travelled to the UAE to conduct the competition.
Mohamed Al Hadi, Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management at Emirates Islamic, said: “Emirates Islamic is delighted to extend its support as a sponsor of the Spelling Bee, an initiative that perfectly underscores our deep commitment to nurturing the holistic development of the UAE’s young generation. We believe that empowering our youth with both intellectual prowess and sound financial knowledge is crucial for their future success and the nation’s prosperity. As a leading Islamic bank, we are dedicated to providing the tools and opportunities that prepare young individuals to be financially responsible. Our sponsorship of the Spelling Bee, alongside our innovative ALPHA Youth Account, reflects this unwavering commitment to building a generation of well-rounded, capable and financially savvy leaders for tomorrow.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Corrie Loeffler, Executive Director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, said: “The talent demonstrated by students in the UAE is truly exceptional and on par with global standards. We are very impressed with the quality of participation and the professionalism of the Spelling Bee Championship here. We look forward to seeing this programme continue to grow year after year.”
Vishwa Mohan, Organiser of the Spelling Bee Championship UAE also expressed appreciation for the partnership and commented: “The response from parents and students has been overwhelming, showing how strongly families in the UAE value learning and holistic development. We are grateful to Emirates Islamic and the ALPHA Youth Account initiative for supporting young achievers and encouraging responsible financial habits alongside academic excellence.”
The Spelling Bee Championship UAE continues to grow as a platform that celebrates language skills, confidence and global opportunity, now strengthened by a meaningful focus on youth financial empowerment.
About Emirates Islamic:
Emirates Islamic Bank PJSC (Emirates Islamic) is the Islamic banking arm of the Emirates NBD Group and is a leading Islamic financial institution in the UAE. Established in 2004 as Emirates Islamic Bank, the bank has established itself as a major player in the highly competitive financial services sector in the UAE.
Emirates Islamic offers a comprehensive range of Shariah-compliant products and services across the Personal, Business and Corporate banking spectrum with a network of 39 branches and 231 ATMs/CDMs across the UAE. In the area of online and mobile banking, the bank is an innovator, being the first Islamic bank in the UAE to launch a mobile banking app and offer Apple Pay, as well as being the first Islamic bank in the world to launch Chat Banking services for customers via WhatsApp.
Emirates Islamic has consistently received local and international awards, in recognition of its strong record of performance and innovation in banking. The Bank won the “Islamic Retail Bank of the Year – Middle East” and “Most Innovative Murabaha” awards at the prestigious The Banker’s Islamic Banking Awards 2025. Additionally, the bank was named ‘Best Islamic Corporate Bank in the World’ and ‘Best Islamic Financial Institution in the UAE’ at the Global Finance – Best Islamic Financial Institutions Awards 2025. Emirates Islamic was also awarded the prestigious title of ‘The World’s Best Islamic Digital Bank’ at the Euromoney Islamic Finance Awards 2025.
As part of its commitment to the UAE community, the Emirates Islamic Charity Fund provides financial aid to those in need, with a focus on food, shelter, health, education and social welfare contributions.