Zaila Avant-garde won the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2021, becoming the first African American to win the nation’s premier spelling bee contest. At the time, she was living in Louisiana, but that didn’t stop University of Maryland President Darryll Pines from offering her a full scholarship to College Park.

Four years later, Avant-garde is attending the University of Maryland. Her family now lives in Prince George’s County.

But she never phoned in a favor to help make it happen. In fact, when she applied, she wasn’t entirely sure the offer still stood.

“That was definitely in the back of my mind a few years later as I began my college search,” she said. “I actually ended up getting a different scholarship. But I’m here for free, and that’s all that matters!”

Avant-garde is atte

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