1st African American To Win The Spelling Bee Also Holds 3 Basketball World Records

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/08/ [login to see] /scripps-spelling-bee-winner
For the first time in the Scripps National Spelling Bee's 96-year history, an African American has taken home the top prize.

Fourteen-year-old Zaila Avant-garde, an 8th-grader from Harvey, La., won the prestigious competition — and $50,000. She is the competition's second Black champion.

"It made me feel really proud," she said after clinching the victory. "I'm really hoping lots of little Brown girls all over the world and stuff are really motivated to try out spelling and stuff because it's really a fun thing to do and it's a great way to kind of connect yourself with education which is super important."