The Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee has been crowning champions since 1925 with kids under 16 clinching the title on words such as chlorophyll, esquamulose and xanthosis.
Here's a look at the eight most recent winners and their winning words (along with and the local newspapers that sponsored them). This includes Snigdha Nandipati of San Diego who won the 2012 championship Thursday night in Washington.
Spelling Bee Champions And Winning Words
2012: Snigdha Nandipati
Snigdha Nandipati (San Diego Union-Tribune)
2012: Snigdha Nandipati
Snigdha Nandipati (San Diego Union-Tribune)
2011: Sukanya Roy
Sukanya Roy (Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre, Pa.)
2011: Sukanya Roy
Sukanya Roy (Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre, Pa.)
2010: Anamika Veeramani
Anamika Veeramani (The Plain Dealer of Cleveland)
2010: Anamika Veeramani
Anamika Veeramani (The Plain Dealer of Cleveland)
2009: Kavya Shivashankar
Kavya Shivashankar (Olathe News of Kansas)
2009: Kavya Shivashankar
Kavya Shivashankar (Olathe News of Kansas)
2008: Sameer Mishra
Sameer Mishra (Journal and Courier of Lafayette, Indiana)
2008: Sameer Mishra
Sameer Mishra (Journal and Courier of Lafayette, Indiana)
2007: Evan M. O'Dorney
Evan M. O'Dorney (Contra Costa Times)
2007: Evan M. O'Dorney
Evan M. O'Dorney (Contra Costa Times)
2006: Kerry Close
Kerry Close (Asbury Park Press/Home News Tribune)
2006: Kerry Close
Kerry Close (Asbury Park Press/Home News Tribune)
2005: Anurag Kashyap
2005: Anurag Kashyap
2005: Anurag Kashyap
2005: Anurag Kashyap
Highlights of Nandipati's prize package are $30,000 in cash, a $2,500 savings bond and a $5,000 scholarship.
Runner-up Stuti Mishra of West Melbourne, Fla., got tripped up on the word schwarmerei.
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