Zaila Avant-garde from New Orleans is the new queen of the iconic American contest.
A 14-year-old African-American girl dethroned the desis to become the new queen of the National Spelling Bee as the iconic American contest returned after a year long hiatus because of Covid-19.
Zaila Avant-garde overcame tough challenge from 10 other spellers, including nine Indian American kids, in live prime time finals on Thursday, July 8 with first lady Dr. Jill Biden attending the 93rd edition of the contest in Orlando, Florida, in person.
The girl from from New Orleans, won the Scripps Cup after spelling “Murraya.” For the uninitiated Murraya is “a genus of tropical Asiatic and Australian trees having pinnate leaves and flowers with imbricated petals,” according to Spelling Bee officials.
The winning word came after the runner up, Chaitra Thummala, 12, an Indian American girl from San Francisco, misspelled the compound word “neroli oil.”
After correctly spelling “Murraya,” Avant-garde took home $50,000, the Scripps Cup and a slate of other prizes.
RELATED: Nine Indian American kids among 11 Scripps National Spelling Bee finalists (June 28, 2021)
In 2020, the spelling bee was canceled for the first time since 1945 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This year, students competed remotely in each stage of the Spelling Bee, before the finalists came together at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney Resort.
After congratulating the contestants, Biden revealed that, at her own spelling bee in sixth grade, she told her mother that she was too sick to attend the competition because she was “scared to get up in front of everyone.”
“These kids have so much courage, and I really admire them,” the first lady said.
More than 200 students first entered the competition. The eleven finalists coming from across the country were:
RELATED: 70 Indian American kids in Scripps National Spelling Bee finals (May 25, 2021)
Roy Seligman, 12, from Nassau, The Bahamas. Sponsored by The Ministry of Education.
Bhavana Madini, 13, from New York. Sponsored by NYC Regional Spelling Bee.
Sreethan Gajula, 14, from Charlotte, North Carolina. Sponsored by the Carolina Panthers.
Ashrita Gandhari, 14, from Leesburg, Virginia. Sponsored by Loudoun County Public Schools.
Avani Joshi, 13, from Loves Park, Illinois. Sponsored by Boone-Winnebago Regional Office of Education.
Zaila Avant-garde, 14, from New Orleans. Sponsored by New Orleans Chapter of The Links.
READ: On-air tests for 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee spellers (April 20, 2021)
Vivinsha Veduru, 10, from Fort Worth, Texas. Sponsored by Texas Christian University.
Dhroov Bharatia, 12, from Dallas. Sponsored by Dallas Sports Commission.
Vihaan Sibal, 12, from Waco, Texas. Sponsored by Rapoport Holdings, LLC.
Akshainie Kamma, 13, from Austin, Texas. Sponsored by West Austin Chamber of Commerce.
Chaitra Thummala, 12, from San Francisco. Sponsored by Bay Area Regional Spelling Bee.
READ MORE:
2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee season to launch June 12 (April 6, 2021)
For the first time since World War II, there won’t be a Scripps National Spelling Bee champ this year (April 21, 2020)
Seven Indian Americans among eight co-champions of National Spelling Bee (May 31, 2019)