Dunwoody elementary school student places 3rd in Scripps National Spelling Bee

Georgia fifth-grader wins 3rd place in Scripps National Spelling Bee

Eleven-year-old Sarv Dharavane may have been the youngest contestant in the final, but his superlative spelling scored him third place in the competition.

DUNWOODY, Ga. - A DeKalb County elementary school student is celebrating a big win at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Eleven-year-old Sarv Dharavane, a student at Austin Elementary in Dunwoody, may have been the youngest contestant in the final, but his superlative spelling scored him third place in the competition.

What we know:

Two months ago, Dharavane became the repeat champion speller in Georgia, securing his place in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Maryland.

Dharavane made it through 19 rounds, going head-to-head with the top spellers in the nation.

While he made it look easy, there were some challenges along the way - including words like levallorphan, saurel, and lactagogue.

Sarv Shailesh Dharavane, 11, of Tucker, Georgia reacts after successfully spelling his word in the semifinals of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center on May 28, 2025, in National Harbor, Maryland

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The fifth-grader was eventually eliminated from the competition by the word eserine. He was off by a single letter.

Dharavane is the first finalist from Georgia in decades. While he wanted to win, he was pleased by his performance, saying that he expected to finish at most in night place.

What they're saying:

"We are so happy and proud for Sarv and his family," said Lisa Morgan, kindergarten teacher and president of the Georgia Association of Educators, Sarv’s sponsor at the Scripps Bee. "We know the sacrifice that comes with preparing for such a feat and all of his hard work has paid off.  All of Georgia congratulates Sarv on becoming the third best speller in the nation!"

What's next:

With his third place achievement, Dharavane won $15,000 from the E.W. Scripps Company.

With a few more years of eligibility left, he said that he plans to compete in 2026.

"Next year I'm going to take it all," he promised.