Abhijay Kodali, Speller 484 and a Texas fifth grader, spelled "dealated," which means divested of the wings — used of postnuptial adults of certain insects (as ants and termites) that drop their wings before forming a new colony.
Before the competition, he said he was happy to be in the finals.
“I was really nervous at first,” he said. “I didn't really expect to be” here.
He also likes to play tennis and read, particularly Percy Jackson and Harry Potter books.
