Spelling bee champion former Grove & Chiddix student

Posted on June 1, 2018
Karthik Nemmani attended Grove Elementary and Chiddix Junior High Schools. (CNN)

By Greg Halbleib

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – The Scripps National Spelling Bee winner crowned Thursday night spent most of his grade school years in Normal.

Karthik Nemmani attended Grove Elementary and Chiddix Junior High Schools until last year according to family friend Jay Tummala. He told WJBC the Nemmani family moved to the Dallas area in the spring of 2017 when the parents were transferred by State Farm.

Karthik, 14, won cash and prizes worth about $40,000 with his victory. This was his first time in the national finals.

His winning word was “koinonia,” an intimate religious fellowship.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected]. 

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