A 14-year-old student from Texas in the US has made headlines with his use of a Greek word to win a national spelling prize.
Karthik Nemmani won the 91st Scripps National Spelling Bee with the word ‘koinonia’, a theological term defined as “intimate spiritual communion and participative sharing in a common religious commitment and spiritual community”.
An 8th grader at Scoggins Middle School, it was Nemmani’s first time participating in the national finals, managing to beat over 500 contestants to take out the top prize of US$40,000 (AUD$52,550) along with an impressive trophy.
Feeling like somewhat of a celebrity, he is also being flown to New York and Los Angeles for television appearances.
“Karthik showcased not only broad knowledge of the English language but also incredible poise under pressure,” said Adam Symson, president and CEO of The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP).
“This is a gruelling competition that takes years of preparation and then challenges the participants all week long. Karthik handled it with grace and maturity,” he added.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee was started in 1925 with the aim to inspire students to improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn new concepts, and to develop correct usage of the English language for their future. It has since developed into a national treasure with children across the US participating in school, local and regional spelling bees annually, with the best performers making the trip out for the big event, which this year took place in Maryland.
