Fresno County spelling bee champ wins state competition

Ananya Vinay arrived in Stockton this weekend as the defending California State Elementary Spelling Bee Champion. By Saturday afternoon, she was state champ again.

Ananya, a fifth-grader at Clovis Unified’s Fugman Elementary School, was named state champion Saturday after 17 rounds of competition. Her final, winning word: “pugilist.”

For her winning efforts, she was awarded an iPad, in addition to the iPod shuffle and Spelling Bee backpack that all state contestants received. The event, which drew 56 participants, was held at the San Joaquin County Office of Education.

In March, Ananya won the Fresno County Spell-Off, which qualified her to compete next month in the Scripps National Spelling Bee just outside of Washington, D.C. in Maryland.

The Fresno Bee co-sponsored the county Spell-Off, along with the Fresno County Office of Education, Foundation at Fresno County Office of Education, Fresno State, Chevron, Educational Employees Credit Union, Educational Resource Consultants and the River Park Shopping Center.

Sponsors pay for Ananya and one family member’s trip to the national competition, which will be held May 22-27 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md.

This story was originally published April 24, 2016 at 4:17 PM with the headline "Fresno County spelling bee champ wins state competition."