Kushi Gottimukkala, 13, from Morrisville took fourth place at the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night. The seventh-grader from Carnage Middle School in Raleigh advanced to the sixth round of finals in Washington D.C. She stumbled on “cara sposa,” which means dear wife.
“Oh Kushi, what an amazing performance tonight,” Mary Brooks, the head judge said after the contestant was eliminated, according to the Charlotte Observer. “You are an incredible speller, and we will hope to see you back. Great job.”
The teen walked off the stage amid applause. She’ll pocket $10,000 for finishing fourth after placing 41st last year…