North Texan, 13, wins $50,000 grand prize in Scripps National Spelling Bee
DALLAS - A teenager from North Texas has won the Scripps National Spelling Bee, securing the $50,000 grand prize and bragging rights for his hometown of Allen.
Spelling Bee Champion
The Latest:
Faizan Zaki spelled "éclaircissement" correctly to win the final round of the competition on Thursday night. The word, appropriately enough, means "a clearing up of something obscure."
Zaki, 13, will take home the grand prize of $50,000 for the win.
National Spelling Bee: North Texas teen who finished 2nd last year advances to final round
Just one North Texan is advancing to the final round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The backstory:
Zaki is a seventh-grader at C.M. Rice Middle School in Plano, and is sponsored by the Dallas Sports Commission.
Last season, the student placed second in the contest, only losing during a "spell-off" tiebreaker. He still beat out more than 240 other spellers and went home with $25,000.
Plano ISD 12-year-old Faizan Zaki places 2nd at the Scripps National Spelling Bee
Faizan Zaki has just placed runner-up in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
What they're saying:
Plano ISD proudly spoke out on X after Zaki's win:
"Faizan’s extraordinary achievement reflects the excellence, perseverance and passion for learning that define our students across Plano ISD. We are incredibly proud to see one of our own rise to the top on the national stage!"
The Source: Information in this story comes from the Scripps National Spelling Bee website and past news coverage.