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E.W. Scripps Company president and CEO Adam Symson (R) holds the trophy over winner of the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee, Shrey Parikh, 14, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington on May 28, 2026. Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo
Shrey Parikh, an eighth grader from California, was all business during multiple rounds of the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals May 28, not showing any signs of nervousness, relief, or joy.
He finally flashed a smile when the judges handed him the trophy, which he held over his head as his family joined him on stage.
Aaron Gifford has written for several daily newspapers, magazines, and specialty publications and also served as a federal background investigator and Medicare fraud analyst. He graduated from the University at Buffalo and is based in Upstate New York.
