TEXAS (KXXV) — Faizan Zaki of Allen, Texas, is one of nine students to reach the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. (Also, the final Texan)
Zaki, 13, is a seventh grader at Rice Middle School in Plano and is sponsored by the Dallas Sports Commission. He is the only Texan remaining in the competition.
According to his bio on the Bee’s official website, Zaki enjoys playing video games, chatting with friends, speed-solving Rubik’s cubes, playing the viola, and learning new languages. He is currently studying French and describes himself as a “linguistics nerd.”
This is not Zaki’s first time at the national stage. He previously competed in 2019, tying for 370th place, returned in 2023 to tie for 21st, and finished as the runner-up in 2024.
Below is where and when you can watch the final round Thursday—
