LSU's new president offers a 14-year-old Scripps National Spelling Bee champion and Harvey, La native, a scholarship today.
As many leaders used their social media platform to congratulate Zaila-Avant-garde, so did LSU's new president, William F. Tate IV.
"Your academic performance reflected scholarship first! You modeled intellectual excellence. @LSU_Honors awaits," he tweeted.
Avant-garde, is not your typical teenager, but a homeschooler and a professional spelling bee competitor who tries to spell about 13,000 words per day, according to the Associated Press.
She has recently won SCRIPP'S National Spelling Bee that was held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida on Thursday.
Avant-garde is now the first Louisianian and African American to be crowned.
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
She promised to bring the same fire to the bee that she shows on the basketball court, according to the Associated Press.
Now, the LSU president says, he writes to offer her a full scholarship to attend.
"Here for you," Tate says.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers
