AP:
even among the more well-rounded spellers who will compete Thursday in the ESPN-televised national finals, Zaila Avant-garde stands out.
The 14-year-old from Harvey, Louisiana, has earned more recognition for her athletic prowess than her achievements in spelling. She is a basketball prodigy who has appeared in a commercial with Stephen Curry
...
Zaila said she hopes to inspire other African-Americans who might not understand the appeal of spelling or can't afford to pursue it.
“Maybe they don't have the money to pay $600 for a spelling program, they don't have access to that,” Zaila said. “With tutors and stuff, they charge, like, murder rates.”
#8thgrader #Middleschooler Zaila Avant-garde, ⚡️💨. pic.twitter.com/fyjKQI4rME
— Zaila Avant-garde (@Basketballasart) June 1, 2021
🤹🏾♀️ pic.twitter.com/BrwAEA6SSV
— Zaila Avant-garde (@Basketballasart) April 17, 2021
Also:
They have spelling bee VAR and this kid just got eliminated because of it pic.twitter.com/ahCzhi2Fjh
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) July 9, 2021