The world is her oyster!
Zaila Avant-garde made history last week when she became the first Black American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The 14-year-old from Harvey, La. has already proven that she’s a force to be reckoned with as a three-time Guinness World Record holder for her Basketball skills. As the country collectively rooted for her, she gained the attention of colleges and universities in Louisiana who have offered her a full-ride when she graduates high school.
Next came Louisiana State University, which recently hired Dr. William Tate as the first Black president in the Southeastern Conference.
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
Not to be outdone, the Historically Black College and University, Southern University - Baton Rouge added a cherry on top of their scholarship offer. Dr. Ray L Belton, president of the Southern University System, announced a “Zaila Day” to commemorate her Black excellence.
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 meeting with you. We welcome you to the #JaguarNation! #WeAreSouthern pic.twitter.com/4eeSI457yr
— Ray L. Belton, Ph.D. (@SUSprez) July 10, 2021
She showed up to the ESPY Awards on Saturday, and everyone, including Marvel’s Captain America - Anthony Mackie, was excited to see her.
"Sorry Drew Brees, you're old news. ... I'm talking about the Spelling Bee champ." @AnthonyMackie salutes New Orleans legend Zaila Avant-garde ❤️ pic.twitter.com/rITM2SJpn8
— ESPN (@espn) July 11, 2021
She has everyone, including NASA and our forever president, Barack Obama, congratulating her on her bright future.
Three Guinness World Records and now the national spelling bee champ! Congrats, Zaila—your hard work is paying off. We’re all proud of you. https://t.co/UaYoRMGirZ
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 9, 2021
🌟 The word is 'star.' Definition: Zaila Avant-garde. 🌟
— NASA (@NASA) July 9, 2021
Congratulations on your amazing #SpellingBee win, @BasketballAsArt! We hope you'll join the NASA family one day! https://t.co/FarYWEcLTn
The spelling bee champ say's she'd like to play Basketball at Harvard, we'll see what they are offering down the line.
During an interview, she reminded the world, "Just about everything I do, I'm good at.”
National Spelling Bee champion Zaila Avant-garde says she is interested in playing basketball at Harvard University, after which she is thinking of four career options:
— New Day (@NewDay) July 9, 2021
- NBA basketball coach
- Working for NASA
- Neuroscience
- Gene editing pic.twitter.com/q6cUWoglVR
We’re so excited to see what you do next, Zaila!
Photo Credit: Michael Loccisano / Getty