Share this article Share this article CINCINNATI, July 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Zaila Avant-garde, a 14-year-old speller from New Orleans, is the champion of the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Zaila (zah-EE-luh) Avant-garde earned the prestigious title in round 18, when she correctly spelled "Murraya" which is defined as "a genus of tropical Asiatic and Australian trees having pinnate leaves and flowers with imbricated petals." Zaila Avant-garde, a 14-year-old speller from New Orleans, is the champion of the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Credit: Heather Harvey / Scripps National Spelling Bee (Photo by Heather Harvey / Scripps / ESPN Images). Adam Symson, president and CEO of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP), presented the championship trophy moments before ESPN signed off from the 93rd Scripps National Spelling Bee, which took place at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida.