Latest news with #ScrippsCup
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT: Texas Teen Wins 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee
Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old from Allen, Texas, clinched the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, correctly spelling 'éclaircissement' to claim the title and over $50,000 in cash and prizes in a dramatic final round. Zaki, last year's runner-up, triumphed over eight finalists in the centennial Scripps National Spelling Bee, hosted at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center near Washington, D.C. The contest began with 243 spellers aged 11 to 14, narrowed to Zaki, Sarv Dharavane, 11, and Sarvadnya Kadam, 14. All three misspelled words in one round, forcing a tense additional round. 'I can't remember the last time we've seen this kind of late-round drama here at the spelling bee,' Paul Loeffler, the Bee's TV analyst, said, per CBS News. In the 21st round, Zaki faced Kadam and spelled 'éclaircissement,' a noun meaning a clearing up of something obscure. He pumped his fists and collapsed to the floor in excitement after finishing the word. 'I'm really happy,' Zaki said afterward. Earlier, he faltered on the spelling of 'commelina' but was reinstated after collective missteps by his fellow finalists. Zaki's victory as the 110th champion of the Scripps spelling bee adds to Texas' legacy of spelling champions. He is the 17th winner from the Lone Star State. Beyond the Scripps Cup, he earned a $50,000 prize from Scripps, a $2,500 award and reference library from Merriam-Webster, and $400 in Encyclopædia Britannica reference works. A self-proclaimed 'linguistics nerd,' Zaki is eyeing the math olympiad next, reflecting his wide-ranging interests. The Scripps National Spelling Bee, which started in 1925, will move to Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., in 2026.
Kuwait Times
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Kuwait Times
Faizan Zaki, 13, crowned US National Spelling Bee champion
Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old boy from the Dallas area, won the 97th Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, swiftly nailing the French-derived word 'eclaircissement,' synonymous with enlightenment, in the 21st round of the contest finals. He edged out 14-year-old Sarvadnya Kadam, from Visalia, California, who finished in second place after misspelling 'Uaupes,' a tributary of the Rio Negro in South America, in the 20th round. Zaki, who was last year's runner-up, had correctly spelled 'Chaldee,' a dialect of the Biblical Aramaic language, in the 20th round. But under spelling bee rules, Zaki needed to land one more word in a solo round to claim the trophy. He did so in round 21 by instantly and precisely spelling 'eclaircissement' - defined as a clearing up of something obscure. He surprised the audience by giving his answer without taking the customary pause afforded contestants to ask the judges for more information about the word's origins, meaning and pronunciation. He was crowned champion in a hail of confetti before being joined on stage by his parents and other relatives, and will receive $50,000 in prize money. Cyleane Equra Ama Quansah, 11, of Accra, Ghana spells her word. Kaden Haddox (left), 12, of Steubenville, Ohio reacts after successfully spelling his word in the preliminaries. The spelling finalists are seen before the finals of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Faizan Zaki , 13, of Dallas, Texas holds up the Scripps Cup after winning in the 21st round of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Faizan Zaki, (second right) 13, of Dallas, Texas holds the Scripps Cup alongside family and friends after winning. E. W. Scripps Company CEO Adam Symson (left) hands Faizan Zaki (right), 13, of Dallas, Texas the Scripps Cup after winning in the 21st round of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Zaki, a resident of Allen, Texas, had nearly been eliminated in round 18 when he rushed, and stumbled over, the spelling of 'commelina,' a genus for some 200 species of dayflowers. But his two fellow finalists at that point, including Kadam, likewise fumbled their words, leading to a 19th round in which all three boys returned, but only two - Zaki and Kadam - survived to face off in the decisive 20th round. Sarv Dharavane, an 11-year-old boy from Tucker, Georgia, finished in third place after misspelling 'eserine,' the antidote of choice for many poisons, with one 's' too many. Thursday's total roster of nine finalists emerged from three days of competition at a convention center outside Washington, DC, among 243 contestants aged eight to 14 who advanced from regional competitions across the country. Challenged with some of the most difficult and least-used words that English has to offer, many young competitors amazed spectators with their ability to produce the correct spellings with poise and precision. The Scripps media group has sponsored the event since 1925, with three years off during World War Two and one more for the COVID pandemic in 2020. Most competitors were from the United States, coming from all 50 states. Other spellers came from Canada, the Bahamas, Germany, Ghana, Kuwait, Nigeria, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. - Reuters
India Today
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Indian-American Faizan Zaki wins 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee
13-year-old Faizan Zaki of Dallas, Texas, won the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee by accurately spelling the difficult French word "claircissement" in an exciting climax that had the audience on the edge of their seats. His significant victory included the coveted Scripps Cup trophy, a commemorative medal, and a $50,000 cash a seventh-grader at C.M. Rice Middle School, started his spelling journey at the age of 7. What began as a fun family activity quickly turned into a serious passion. 'He just enjoys learning new words,' said his mother, Arshia Quadri. 'It's something that came naturally to him.'advertisementHis father, Zaki Anwar, recalled, 'We just wanted him to enjoy the experience of competing at the bee. If he could spell a few words and achieve a few rounds, that would be great. But this is amazing!'A Special Year For The Bee This year's spelling bee was especially significant, marking its 100th anniversary. The competition saw 243 participants aged 8 to 14 from around the world gather at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, from May 27 to 30. Only nine made it to the final spelled his winning word in the 21st round. As confetti rained down, he dropped to the floor in disbelief, living the moment. 'I'm going to be having nightmares about that tonight,' he said, still overwhelmed by the Time's The CharmadvertisementThis was Faizan's fourth time participating in the national bee. Last year, he was narrowly defeated in a tiebreaker round by his friend, Bruhat Soma, who jokingly said, 'I think he cared too much about his aura.'Proud of his son's achievement, Faizan's father called him 'the GOAT,' adding, 'He's been doing this for years. He knows the dictionary like the back of his hand.'Faizan's win not only highlights his love for words but also inspires countless young spellers chasing the same dream.
India.com
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet 13-year-old Indian-American genius who won Rs 4277590 for...., his name is...
Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old Indian-American student from Texas, has won the Scripps National Spelling Bee after he spelt 'éclaircissement' correctly, maintaining the dominance of the children from the community in the prestigious US competition. The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the nation's largest and longest-running educational program, having launched in 1925. The first Spelling Bee competition was held in 1925 in Washington, DC, and only nine kids participated, according to Scripps. This year, more than 200 students competed. Zaki is only the fifth speller in Bee history to win after coming in second place the year before. He tied for 21st place in 2023 and 370th place in 2019. Zaki will take home USD 50,000, a medal and a trophy as he won the Spelling Bee in its 100th year. The 13-year-old took home the Scripps Cup outspelling more than 240 students from across the country, Scripps said in a post on X. According to the news agency PTI report, Zaki bested Sarvadnya Kadam to win the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night. A 7th-grade student at C M Rice Middle School, Zaki finished second in 2024 in a spell-off to another Indian-American Bruhat Soma. This was Zaki's fourth time participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Zaki earned the prestigious title in round 21 when he correctly spelt 'éclaircissement,' which is defined as 'the clearing up of something obscure: enlightenment.' He outlasted eight other accomplished spellers to win the title. The culmination of the national championship came with a shock. Zaki had an earlier chance to win this year's bee, in the 18th round, after mistakes by two other finalists. In what could have been the last round, when there were three left, Sarvadnya Kadam and Sarv Dharavane got their words wrong. It seemed to be Zaki's big chance. But he rushed to spell his word before a proper explanation and got the first letter wrong. #Speller207 Faizan Zaki left everything on stage. A four-time competitor, 2024 Runner-Up, and now, the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion! Summing up his journey, 'I was amazed when I won my first school bee. Then I just kept winning.'🐝 #TheBeeTurns100 #SpellingBee — Scripps National Spelling Bee (@ScrippsBee) May 30, 2025 Hardly before the word 'commelina' had left the pronouncer's mouth, Zaki jumped on it, saying, 'k-a-m ——' He recognised his mistake right away, but it was too late. As he spelt the winning word, Zaki fell on the stage in joy as confetti rained down. 'I don't know what to say. I'm just really happy,' he said. According to the official website, Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old Indian-American student from Texas will receive From Scripps: a $50,000 cash prize, commemorative medal and the Scripps Cup, the official championship trophy of the Scripps National Spelling Bee; From Merriam-Webster: a $2,500 cash prize and reference library from the Bee's dictionary partner; From Encyclopædia Britannica: $400 of reference works, including a 1768 Encyclopædia Britannica Replica Set and a three-year membership to Britannica Online Premium; From Scholastic: $1,000 Scholastic Dollars to be donated to the school of the champion's choice in their honor; From News-O-Matic: A five-year subscription to News-O-Matic's K-8 news platform awarded to the champion's school. Adam Symson, president and CEO of the E W Scripps Company, presented the championship trophy. 'Faizan exemplified the determination that defines a champion,' said Symson. His unwavering focus and preparation led to a well-earned victory tonight on the Bee's largest stage, he said. 'In this landmark 100th year of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Scripps is honoured to celebrate Faizan's extraordinary achievement as well as the spellers throughout the Bee's history who continue to inspire millions,' he said. Nupur Lala was the first Indian-American to win the competition in 1999. As of May 30, 2025, the exchange rate for 1 US Dollar (USD) is approximately ₹85.52 Indian Rupees (INR). Therefore, USD 50,000 is equivalent to about ₹4,277,590.10. Please note that exchange rates fluctuate regularly, so the exact amount may vary depending on the time and platform used for the conversion. (With PTI Inputs)
Hindustan Times
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Who are Faizan Zaki's parents? Scripps National Spelling Bee winner's father calls son ‘the GOAT'
Faizan Zaki won the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee after spelling the French word 'éclaircissement' correctly. The 13-year-old took home the coveted Scripps Cup along with $50,000 in cash and a commemorative medal as he bested over 240 contestants from across the country Thursday night. The young Indian-American 'loves words,' according to his mother, Arshia Quadri. Zaki, a seventh-grade student at C.M. Rice Middle School in Dallas, Texas, began his competitive spelling journey in 2019 when he was just 7 years old. In an interview with ABC Action News at the time, his parents, Quadri and Zaki Anwar, revealed that his interest in complex words began as a family activity. 'He loves it. I mean he loves the learning and words, and so that has been like, you know, it's just been very easy,' Quadri told the outlet, adding, 'We just want him to be happy and, you know, experience that. You know the whole experience of going to the bee.' 'And if he can spell a few words there and get to a few rounds, then good for him, that would be amazing,' Zaki's father added at the time. Thursday's competition was the teenager's fourth time participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. After he correctly spelt his winning word in the 21st round, Zaki lay on the floor ecstatic as confetti rained down. 'I'm definitely going to be having nightmares about that tonight,' he later said while standing next to the trophy, per Associated Press. Zaki's friend, Bruhat Soma, who beat him in the 'spell-off' tiebreaker last year, said, 'I think he cared too much about his aura.' Meanwhile, his father, Anwar, said, 'He's the GOAT. I actually believe that. He's really good, man. He's been doing it for so long, and he knows the dictionary in and out,' per the outlet.
