scripps national spelling bee

Zaila Avant-garde, 14, became the first African American winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee and only the second Black champion.

But even among the more well-rounded spellers who will compete Thursday in the ESPN-televised national finals, Zaila Avant-garde stands out.

The winner, Arvind Mahankali, who hails from Queens, N.Y., won by correctly spelling “knaidel,” a Yiddish word for “dumpling.”