Last night, the 13-year-old was crowned co-champion at the Scripps Spelling Bee. Vanya, 13, of Olathe, Kansas, is the first sibling of a past champion to win. Eight-year-old Vanya Shivashankar of Olathe, Kan., looked half the size of the some of the kids surrounding her Tuesday at the annual spellers' picnic. On her fifth and final try at the national spelling championship, Vanya Shivashankar of Olathe finally won the title. The third-grader from Regency Place Elementary School is the younger sister of Kavya Shivashankar from Olathe, who won the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Her college-aged sister Kavya — her role model — won the national spelling bee back in 2009. Shivashankar became the first sibling of a past champion to also win the bee. It’s Vanya’s first time, but she’s hardly a rookie. They came in with high expectations. Her sister, Kavya – now a sophomore at Columbia University – competed four times, which means the Shivashankar family has made the trip nine of the past 10 years. "Everything takes hard work and passion," Shivashankar said. Vanya Shivashankar, of Olathe, Kan., and Gokul Venkatachalam of Chesterfield, Mo are co-champs of the National Spelling Bee. Vanya's sister, Kavya, also won the competition in 2009. The 13-year-old won a trophy, $100,000 for her college education, and the right to challenge her older sister, Gokul Venkatachalam and Vanya Shivashankar had worked too hard and come close too many times not to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. What’s new for you from Diane & Liz [1:55] 2. WHEREAS, Vanya's sister, Kavya, was named the national champion in 2009. Vanya Shivashankar said the key to winning was not memorization. 273 spellers participated in the 2010 competition, including the greatest number of U.S.-based spellers in the history of the event. May 28, 2015 ~ Vanya Shivashankar, who recently completed eighth grade at California Trail Middle School, was named co-champion of the Scripps National Spelling Bee Thursday night after numerous rounds of the bee. Vanya was competing in the bee for the fifth and final time. She's been attending the bee since 2006, when her sister first competed. Vanya Shivashankar, 8, won the 2010 Olathe Spelling Bee today and will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. Her father, elated at having two daughters win the bee, put on a … Vanya Shivashankar from Olathe, Kansas (in her fifth appearance at the Bee) and Gokul Venkatachalam from Chesterfield, Missouri (who finished third the prior year) won the bee, the thirteenth of the past seventeen bees to have an Indian-American champion. Vanya Shivashankar, who also acts and plays the tuba and piano, dedicated her victory to her late grandmother, who died in 2013. Her sister, Kavya, won in 2009. Her sister is the 2009 Scripps champion and her … She handled "intaglio" and … Gokul Venkatachalam and Vanya Shivashankar tied for first place at this year's National Spelling Bee. Her sister, Kavya, won in 2009. Fifth Time's The Charm. The third-grader from Regency Place Elementary School is the younger sister of Kavya Shivashankar from Olathe, who won the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee. This was the fifth and final year Shivashankar could compete in the bee. "Everything takes hard work and passion," Shivashankar said. Vanya was competing in the bee for the fifth and final time. 15 of 32 16 of 32 NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - MAY 29: Vanya Shivashankar of Olathe, Kansas, younger sister of 2009 Bee champion Kavya Shivashankar, participates in the round two of … Extreme fatigue after eating [19:46] 5. Vanya Shivashankar, who also acts and plays the tuba and piano, dedicated her victory to her late grandmother, who died in 2013. Kavya Shivashankar won in 2009 and Vanya Shivashankar … OLATHE, Kan. — Few people can say they've won the Scripps National Spelling Bee, except for an Olathe native and her sister. I wanted to win this,” Vanya said. Gokul Venkatachalam and Vanya Shivashankar tied for victory at the National Spelling Bee. Her father, elated at having two daughters win the bee, put on a … Vanya, 13, of Olathe, Kansas, is the first sibling of a past champion to win. Vanya Shivashankar (left), 13, of Olathe, Kan., and Gokul Venkatachalam, 14, of Chesterfield, hold up the trophy as co-champions after winning the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee … Vanya was competing in the bee for the fifth and final time. They couldn’t be denied. Her sister, Kavya, won in 2009. Her sister, Kavya Shivashankar, was the 2009 champion. Her sister, Kavya, won in 2009. She became the first sibling of a past champion to win; her sister, … She has been an aggressive reader and speller since the age of five. Now the 11-year-old Olathe girl is a favorite to win TONIGHT. In 2009, Vanya’s sister… Vanya's goal is to be a cardiac surgeon. Kavya Shivashankar stole the hearts of Kansas Citians and the world when she won the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee. She tied for first with Gokul Venkatachalam from Chesterfield, Mo. Kavya was the 2009 champion.This is Vanya's fifth bee as a speller. Eleven-year-old Vanya Shivashankar of Olathe, Kan., qualified Wednesday for the semifinals of the 86th Scripps National Spelling Bee. She spells like her sister, tracing the letters on her palm as she calls out the letters. Vanya’s final word was … The bee hadn't ended in a tie for 52 years — until last year. Now it's happened for an unprecedented two years running. Vanya Shivashankar will be the youngest speller at the national championship next month. She spelled "consommé" correctly to stay in the competition. Vanya was competing in the bee for the fifth and final time. We just watched a video of Vanya Shivashankar, speller 90, through the years. The spellers ranged in age from 8 to 15 years old, with 80% being between 12 and 14 years old (inclusive). The 2010 competition's youngest participant, at 8 years old, was Vanya Shivashankar, sister of the 2009 winner Kavya Shivashankar. Vanya’s bubbly personality is entirely different from her 18-year-old sister, Kavya, who just finished her freshman year at Columbia University, where … Olathe’s own Vanya Shivashankar is returning from Washington, D.C. this week after competing at the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, just a few years… Vanya Shivashankar's sister won the national spelling bee in 2009. Her sister, Kavya – now a sophomore at Columbia University – competed four times, which means the Shivashankar … The National Spelling Bee ended in a tie for a second straight year Thursday night when two Indian-Americans, Vanya Shivashankar and Gokul Venkatachalam, were named co-champions. For Vanya Shivashankar, a gift for spelling runs in the family. 186 of 225 187 of 225 CORRECTS FROM KAYA TO KAVYA- Scripps National Spelling Bee co-champion Vanya Shivashankar, 13, of Olathe, Kan., left, is hugged by her sister … Vanya was the first sibling of a previous winner to win; her sister Kavya won in 2009. She's been attending the bee since 2006, when her sister first competed. Her sister, Kavya, won the same championship in … Well, get ready for Act 2. Vanya is an avid speller having been in three Scripps National Spelling Bee competitions. Vanya, who also acts and plays the tuba and piano, dedicated her victory to her late grandmother, who died in 2013. Her sister, Kavya, won in 2009. When Vanya Shivashankar became a co-champion of the 2015 Scripps National Spelling Bee, she made history. WHEREAS, Vanya Shivashankar, a 13-year-old student at California Trail Junior High in Olathe, Kansas, is the 2015 Scripps National Spelling Bee co-champion. Vanya Shivashankar and Gokul Venkatachalam were the last two standing, having exhausted the 25 words reserved for the final three spellers without stumbling. Vanya, 13, of Olathe, Kansas, is the first sibling of a past champion to win. Her goal is become the back half of the first set of sibling champions in National Spelling Bee history. The 8-year-old will be the youngest contestant at the 2010 Scripps bee, which starts today. Vanya Shivashankar, 8, won the 2010 Olathe Spelling Bee today and will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. Vanya, 13, of Olathe, Kansas, is the first sibling of a past champion to win. "Everything takes hard work and passion," Shivashankar said. Twitter. I wanted to win this,” Vanya said. The Child Genius grand prize of $100,000 went to Vanya Shivashankar for successfully answering 30 out of 50 questions. “It’s cool. Topics: 1. U.S. Mirle Shivashankar's daughter, Vanya… Vanyas sister, Kavya Shivashankar, won in 2009. Speller: Following her sister's 2009 win, Vanya Shivashankar became a spelling champion at 12 years old. Vanya Shivashankar (left), 13, of Olathe, Kan., and Gokul Venkatachalam, 14, of Chesterfield, hold up the trophy as co-champions after winning the … Shivashankar competed against more than 40 other students in the district and will go on to the Scripps National Spelling Bee the week of May 27 in Washington D.C. Vanya Shivashankar, left, 13, of Olathe, Kan., and Gokul Venkatachalam, 14, of St. Louis, hold up th … One by one, they dropped. The parents of the 2015 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion Vanya Shivashankar: Sandhya Shivashankar and Mirle Shivashankar, with her sister Kavya, a … Her sister, Kavya — now a sophomore at Columbia University — competed four times, which means the Shivashankar … Meet Vanya Shivashankar — Kavya's 4-foot tall little sister. Kavya was the 2009 champion.This is Vanya's fifth bee as a speller. Mirle Shivashankar, father of two National Spelling Bee champions, after his younger daughter won the bee on May 28, 2015. The vivacious Olathe youngster has been hamming it up … She has made the finals that start at 7 p.m. “My sister’s more like a bubbly person,” said Vanya’s sister, 2009 champion Kavya Shivashankar. Olathe’s spelling phenomenon, Vanya Shivashankar, came close to making history Thursday night. Her personal collective of novels expands more than 200 novels, reading each at least four times. A new thing I’m into lately: Wonder Weeks and Baby wearing [10:37] 3. Her sister, Kavya, won the same championship in … (AP) — They couldn’t be rattled. Her sister, Kavya -- now a sophomore at Columbia University -- competed four times, which means the Shivashankar … Speller: Following her sister's 2009 win, Vanya Shivashankar became a spelling champion at 12 years old. Her sister, Kavya -- now a sophomore at Columbia University -- competed four times, which means the Shivashankar family has made the trip nine of the past 10 years. Her sister, Kavya, won in 2009. Vanya was competing in the bee for the fifth and final time. Vanya, 13, of Olathe, Kansas, is the first sibling of a past champion to win. Vanya Shivashankar, 13, of Olathe, Kansas, and Gokul Venkatachalam, 14, of Chesterfield, Missouri, were declared co-winners of the National Spelling Bee. https://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/05/spelling-bee-rules-shenanigans “My sister’s more like a bubbly person,” said Vanya’s sister, 2009 champion Kavya Shivashankar. But she has been there before with her sister Kavia who won it all last year. Our local Scripps National Spelling Bee co-winner has some advice. Vanya Shivashankar's sister won the national spelling bee in 2009. For Vanya, winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee runs in the family. Now the 11-year-old Olathe girl is a favorite to win TONIGHT. Vanya is a loveable little chatterbox with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Kavya Shivashankar, 13, of Olathe, Kansas, is embraced by her father Mirle Shivashankar, and sister Vanya Shivashankar, 7, after winning the Scripps … Gokul Venkatachalam and Vanya Shivashankar had worked too hard and come close too many times not to Vanya Shivashankar, left, 13, of Olathe, Kan., and Gokul Venkatachalam, 14, of St. Louis, hold up the championship trophy as co-champions after winning the … Vanya Shivashankar won at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in her fifth attempt. Her sister, Kavya — now a sophomore at Columbia University — competed four times, which means the Shivashankar … Vanya Shivashankar, left, of Olathe, Kan., and Gokul Venkatachalam of Chesterfield, Mo., lift the trophy after becoming co-champions Thursday … The 8-year-old will be the youngest contestant at the 2010 Scripps bee, which starts Wednesday. We just watched a video of Vanya Shivashankar, speller 90, through the years. “It’s cool. Olathe’s own Vanya Shivashankar is returning from Washington, D.C. this week after competing at the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, just a few years… Meet Vanya Shivashankar — Kavya’s 4-foot tall little sister. Vanya's victory Last night, the 13-year-old was crowned co-champion at the Scripps Spelling Bee. In last years contest, Sriram Hathwar , an eighth grader from Painted Post, New York and … She has made the finals that start at 7 p.m. Vanya was competing in the bee for the fifth and final time. Meet Vanya Shivashankar — Kavya’s 4-foot tall little sister. Eleven-year-old Vanya Shivashankar of Olathe, Kan., qualified Wednesday for the semifinals of the 86th Scripps National Spelling Bee. The 8-year-old will be the youngest contestant at the 2010 Scripps bee, which starts today. Vanya Shivashankar, second from left, 13, of Olathe, Kan., and Gokul Venkatachalam, right, 14, of St. Louis, are greeted onstage by their families as … Vanya Shivashankar of Olathe had spent years working, studying, dreaming of winning the the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Vanya Shivashankar, of Olathe, Kan., puts on her medal after it was announced that she made the semifinal round of the National Spelling Bee on Wednesday in Oxon Hill, Md. Natural household and body care products [32:55] 6. Vanya, who also acts and plays the tuba and piano, dedicated her victory to her late grandmother, who died in 2013. Her sister, Kavya — now a sophomore at Columbia University — competed four times, which means the Shivashankar family has made the trip nine of the past 10 years. She spelled "consommé" correctly to stay in the competition. OXON HILL, Md. Her sister, Kavya, won in 2009. Shout Out: Balanced Bites podcast 200th episode [16:39] Listener Questions: 4. 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