![Louisiana Student Wins National Spelling Bee](http://townsquare.media/site/180/files/2021/07/attachment-Spelling-Bee.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Louisiana Student Wins National Spelling Bee
It's a first for the State of Louisiana. We now have a Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion.
14-year-old Zaila Avant-garde of Harvey, Louisiana wins the trophy and the $50,000 dollar prize.
Zaila, who is also a world class basketball player just ventured into the world of spelling 2 years ago and now she is a national winner. Her winning word was Murraya which means a genus of tropical Asiatic and Australian trees having pinnate leaves and flowers with imbricated petals.
Zaila is the first American Black youngster to win this title. A Black youngster from Jamaica won this honor back in 1998, but this is the first time for a Black American teen.
It took 18 rounds for Zaili Avant-garde to take the victory and the trophy. By the way, Zaila holds 3 Guinness World Records for her basketball dribbling skills. She says she wants to play in the NBA after she gets her college degree from Harvard.
Top 10 High Schools in Louisiana
Top Ten Living Authors Whose Books have been Made Into Movies
More From KISS Country 93.7
![Life In Louisiana And Arkansas More Dangerous Than Any](http://townsquare.media/site/155/files/2024/07/attachment-ARKLA.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![You Won’t Believe #1 Thing That Makes Louisiana Women Jealous](http://townsquare.media/site/155/files/2024/07/attachment-JEALOUS.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![What Do Louisiana Workers Complain About the Most?](http://townsquare.media/site/155/files/2024/07/attachment-OFFICE-COMPLAINTS.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Why Is Louisiana Laughing More Than Any Other State?](http://townsquare.media/site/155/files/2024/07/attachment-BRIDGE-4.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![New Phase Of I-20 Construction Will Cripple E. Bossier Traffic](http://townsquare.media/site/155/files/2024/07/attachment-EXIT-CLOSED.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Do Snakes in Louisiana Get More Vicious This Time of Year?](http://townsquare.media/site/155/files/2024/07/attachment-LOUISIANA-SNAKE.jpg?w=980&q=75)