Photo grabbed from https://www.chicagotribune.com/
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� A Filipino-American teenager made it to the top six of a spelling bee competition in Washington, DC.
Chicago Tribune that Alia Abiad of McClure Junior High School finished fifth in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Abiad of McClure Junior High School in Western Springs is the lone representative from Illinois.
Abiad, 14, correctly spelled 鈥渜uebrada,鈥濃�漜ollyrium,鈥� 鈥渂u帽uelo,鈥� and聽 鈥渂rindisi鈥� before incorrectly spelling 鈥渋rbis鈥� to finish in a tie for fifth.
鈥淢y husband was filming and he actually turned off the camera because they didn鈥檛 call her name until the very end鈥� This is awesome! We are just like, 鈥榩inch me!'鈥澛� Lorraine Abiad, Alia鈥檚 mother, said in the report.
In 2013, Abiad finished in a tie for 19th place in the national bee.
The finalists received cash prizes, medals, copies of 鈥淎 Merriam-Webster Dictionary,鈥� a 12-month subscription to Microsoft Office, as well as a one-year membership to Encyclopedia Britannica online edition, the report said.