While most of the world is just now getting familiar with the name Zaila Avant-garde, the almost ninth-grader and recently crowned Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion, she isn’t new to the spotlight.
Zaila was the last one standing on a panel of 11 finalists to win the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee title and the first-place prize of $50,000 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.
While it is historical that she’s the first African American to win, she is also the first student from Louisiana to hold the title. But what’s more, is her amazingness that has everything to do with who she is as a person and nothing to do with her skin color.
Not to mention the dedication, commitment, and continually seeing herself through even the most demanding training.
Zaila has only trained competitively for the last two years in preparation for her recent victory. She fixed her eyes on the prize and didn’t stop until she was there.
She finished 370th in the contest two years ago and practiced spelling up to seven hours a day to prepare for this year’s event.
“It felt really good to be a winner at something because of the fact that I have been, like, working on it for like two years,” Avant-garde shared with Good Morning America on Friday. “To finally have it, like the best possible outcome, it was really good.”
Even though she hasn’t started high school yet, the college offers have been pouring in. Zaila has been offered a full scholarship to LSU’s Honors College and also to Southern University in Baton Rouge, as tweeted by the school’s president.
“Your academic performance reflected scholarship first! You modeled intellectual excellence,” LSU President William F. Tate IV tweeted Saturday. “@LSU_Honors awaits. I write to offer you a full scholarship to attend LSU. Here for you!”
Zaila Avant-garde @basketballasart performed at the highest level in the National Spelling Bee. Your academic performance reflected scholarship first! You modeled intellectual excellence. @LSU_Honors awaits. I write to offer you a full scholarship to attend LSU. Here for you! pic.twitter.com/LopV3bdeWI
— William F. Tate IV (@WFTate4) July 10, 2021
Another tweeted offer came from Southern President-Chancellor Ray L. Belton, “I am pleased to announce that @Southernu_BR is offering #ZailaAvantgarde a full scholarship and “#Zaila Day” at SU, part of the nation’s only #HBCU system. Our student leaders, faculty and alumni look forward to meeting with you. We welcome you to the #JaguarNation! #WeAreSouthern.”
She not only is the newest spelling bee champ, but the 14-year-old also holds three, yes three, Guinness World Records.
And they have nothing to do with spelling or academics.
As it turns out, Zaila is a master with a basketball and has taken home some pretty hefty world records. Her Guinness World Records are the following:
- Most balls juggled in one minute with four basketballs
- Most dribbles in 30 seconds with four basketballs
- Most basketballs dribbled by one person simultaneously (6)
Can you believe she obtained these records by ninth grade?
Rightfully dubbed a basketball prodigy, ESPN named her one of the best 8th-grade girls basketball players. Zaila told the news source that she hopes to join the 2022 USA Basketball under-16 national team.
She has also mentioned going to Harvard, working for NASA, playing in the WNBA, and even coaching in the NBA.
The world is her oyster.
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