WTG, Zaila Avant-garde!
Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2021 8:48 am
Louisiana eighth-grader Zaila Avant-garde became the first Black American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee Thursday night, taking the 2021 crown with the successful spelling of the word “murraya.” The 14-year-old jumped and twirled on stage after winning, capping an extraordinary rise in the competition after only taking up competitive spelling two years ago. Avant-garde finished in 370th place in the 2019 competition—the 2020 competition was cancelled due to Covid—before winning the title this year, a feat she attributes to the help of her tutors and a “a bit of luck.”
That might be true about the luck part, other than the fact that the 14-year-old appears to be good at just about everything she sets her mind to. Avant-garde already has three Guinness World Records in basketball dribbling, including: the most simultaneously basketballs dribbled (six basketballs for 30 seconds); the most basketball bounces (307 bounces in 30 seconds); and the most bounce juggles in one minute (255 using four basketballs). Avant-garde’s remarkable skills netted her an appearance in a commercial with Stephen Curry and cemented her status online as an all-around legend.
In an appearance on Good Morning America Friday, Avant-garde, who was given her last name by her father in honor of jazz musician John Coltrane, said she hopes her win inspires others. “I’m hoping that in a few years I’ll see a whole lot more African American females, and males too, doing well in the Scripps Spelling Bee,” said Avant-garde. “You don’t really see too many African Americans doing too well in spelling bees and that’s a bit sad, because it’s a really good thing … and kind of is a gate-opener to be interested in education.”
I didn't get to watch this year, but I know it will be around on Youtube soon, if not already.
Congratulations to Zaila!
That might be true about the luck part, other than the fact that the 14-year-old appears to be good at just about everything she sets her mind to. Avant-garde already has three Guinness World Records in basketball dribbling, including: the most simultaneously basketballs dribbled (six basketballs for 30 seconds); the most basketball bounces (307 bounces in 30 seconds); and the most bounce juggles in one minute (255 using four basketballs). Avant-garde’s remarkable skills netted her an appearance in a commercial with Stephen Curry and cemented her status online as an all-around legend.
In an appearance on Good Morning America Friday, Avant-garde, who was given her last name by her father in honor of jazz musician John Coltrane, said she hopes her win inspires others. “I’m hoping that in a few years I’ll see a whole lot more African American females, and males too, doing well in the Scripps Spelling Bee,” said Avant-garde. “You don’t really see too many African Americans doing too well in spelling bees and that’s a bit sad, because it’s a really good thing … and kind of is a gate-opener to be interested in education.”
I didn't get to watch this year, but I know it will be around on Youtube soon, if not already.
Congratulations to Zaila!