FREMONT, Mich. — Sanskriti Parihar knows how to spell resilience — and she knows how to show it.
The 13-year-old Fremont Middle School student, known as Shally, became the first student from Fremont to win the Greater Grand Rapids Spelling Bee, earning her a spot among more than 200 top spellers at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
But the path to that title wasn't without heartbreak.
Shally's first appearance at the Greater Grand Rapids Spelling Bee in 2023 ended with a second-place finish — on a word she knew.
"Getting second to a word that I knew how to spell was disappointing," she said.
That word? Mahogany. It's one she hasn't forgotten.
This year, Shally came back with something to prove.
"I was so grateful to have a chance to go back and compete again," she said.
"I was like, this is my redemption," she said.
After 13 rounds, she sealed her victory with the word "sardonic" — pausing to gather herself before spelling it out.
"I asked for the definition, I asked for all the information. Took a deep breath like, took a step back, like, I don't want to rush through this. I know this word. I can win. I gotta calm my nerves," she said. "I spelled the word, and after that was all blur, like I did not remember my word once I got in the car."
Fremont Middle School spelling bee coordinator Carrie VandenBerg watched it all unfold.
"She did a great job, and to see her persevere, it just was just the beaming when she won. It was so awesome," VandenBerg said. "I think she has the right attitude and just is going to enjoy the experience."
Now Shally is deep in preparation for the national stage.
"I'm using like apps to prepare. I'm writing down a lot like and having my parents and my sister quiz me," she said. "I'm learning roots, like, like, the beginning and ending of words, like, t, i, o, u, s, or, and like, origins, like German."
She's also letting herself imagine what winning could look like.
"I mean, I've thought of it. It's gonna be hard competition, but I'm gonna give it my hardest, like the most I can do," she said.
Shally's sister, who placed second in the school spelling bee, will also be making the trip to Washington with the family. Fremont Middle School is hoping to livestream the competition so the school community can cheer her on.
"I'm pretty nervous, but it's going to be fun," Shally said.
The 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee is set for May 26-28 at historic Constitution Hall in Washington D.C.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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