Dallas, TX (WBAP/KLIF) – The winner of the 91st Scripps National Spelling Bee is from McKinney, TX!
14-year old Karthik Nemmani correctly spelled the word ‘koinonia’ to capture the big win. Nemmani competed with 40 other finalists, which included 6 students from Texas – 4 from the DFW region.
Karthik was elated after the win, “I had confidence, but I didn’t really think it would happen,” Karthik said. “I’m just really happy. This has just been a dream come true,” he said.
He wins more than $40,000 cash, the Scripps trophy, and trips to New York and Los Angeles for national television appearances, among other prizes.
Karthik clinches it with 'koinonia'!
What a moment for everyone that backed Glasses -130 #ScrippsNationalSpellingBee pic.twitter.com/iY8TLOuCnJ
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) June 1, 2018
Dictionary.com defines koinonia as Christian fellowship or communion with God or fellow Christians.
Another local student came in second place. Naysa Modi, 12, of Frisco misspelled “Bewusstseinslage.” It was her 4th appearance at the national competition.
Abhijay Kodali of Flower Mound placed 3rd.
Rooting for Naysa Modi of Frisco, a seventh-grader at Reynolds Middle School in Prosper, who is at the national bee for the fourth time https://t.co/0URaYEMnF6
— Frisco, TX News (@Frisco_news) May 30, 2018
It's Abhijay Kodali's first time at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, and although he's found himself in the Finals, he didn't expect to make it this far. We say keep doing you, Abhijay! You got this. #SpellingBee #Speller484 pic.twitter.com/sVUX20APJA
— Scripps National Spelling Bee (@ScrippsBee) June 1, 2018
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