Zaila Avant-garde is a multi-talented powerhouse, with success springing from all her endeavors and all before the ninth grade. She was named "SportsKid of the Year 2021" by Sports Illustrated Kids.

Hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana, she won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee, making her the first African-American to win in almost 100 years of the competition. Avant-garde landed on her winning word, 'murraya' — a type of tree —by associating the word with famous comedian Bill Murray, who surprised her by phoning in during her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Avant-garde’s spelling triumph is just one entry on a very impressive resume. She is an accomplished...