2016 National Spelling Bee
Students from across the country gathered to compete for top honor at the 89th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, including the youngest contestant who is just six year's old, Akash Vukoti. Two co-champions, Jairam Hathwar and Nihar Janga were declared for the third straight year.
,Here, Ramon Padua from Guam gives a thumbs up as he competes in a preliminary round at National Harbor in Maryland, May 25, 2016.
National Spelling Bee
A participant yawns during a preliminary round at the 89th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee at National Harbor in Maryland, May 25, 2016.
National Spelling Bee
Akash Vukoti, 6, of San Angelo, Texas, the youngest contestant at the 89th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, lowers the microphone for his turn during a preliminary round at National Harbor in Maryland, May 25, 2016.
He was 2 years old when his family discovered his almost-scary talent. His favorite word: pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.
Late Wednesday, he misspelled bacteriolytic and is out of the tournament, but he got a standing ovation.
National Spelling Bee
Six-year-old Akash Vukoti (R) of San Angelo, Texas, hi-fives Alex Iyer (L) of San Antonio, Texas, as he leaves the stage after he misspelled his word in round three in National Harbor, Maryland, May 25, 2016.
Late Wednesday, Vukoti, the youngest contestant by far, misspelled bacteriolytic and is out of the tournament, but he got a standing ovation.
National Spelling Bee
Bryan Keck of Dubuque, Iowa, reacts after an incorrect spelling during a preliminary round in Maryland, May 25, 2016.
National Spelling Bee
The championship trophy sits in front of a video screen as a student competes in the 89th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, May 25, 2016.
National Spelling Bee
Cameron Keith, 10, of Boulder, Colorado, concentrates as he competes in Maryland, May 25, 2016.
National Spelling Bee
Nina Fonseca of Chicago participates in round two of the spelling bee May 25, 2016.
National Spelling Bee
Jashun Paluru of West Lafayette, Indiana, yawns as he waits for his turn to spell May 25, 2016 in National Harbor, Maryland.
National Spelling Bee
Parents take photos of their children on stage during the competition, May 25, 2016.
National Spelling Bee
Ella Scheuermann of Grafenwoehr, Germany, celebrates after she correctly spelled her word in round three in National Harbor, Maryland, May 25, 2016.
The competition provides opportunities to foreign countries who want to participate in the English-speaking program. This year's contest includes participants from U.S. states and territories as well as the Bahamas , Canada, Ghana, Jamaica, Japan and South Korea.
National Spelling Bee
Sylvie Lamontagne of Lakewood, Coloradi reacts while trying to spell a word during the final round, May 26, 2016.
National Spelling Bee
Smrithi Upadhyayula of Coppell, Texas ponders a word during the final round of the National Spelling Bee in Maryland, May 26, 2016.
Jairam Jagadeesh Hathwar concentrates on a word during the final round, May 26, 2016.
Jairam, 13, spelled "feldenkrais" correctly for his final word.
National Spelling Bee
Nihar Saireddy Janga of Austin, Texas leaps for joy upon spelling the last word to become the co-champion in the final round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, May 26, 2016. Nihar, 11, aced spelling the word "gesellschaft," a type of social relationship.
Nihar, at age 11, is the youngest winner of the bee on record.
Co-champions
Co-champions Nihar Saireddy Janga (2nd R) and Jairam Jagadeesh Hathwar are swept up into the arms of family after the roller-coaster finish in Maryland, May 26, 2016.
It was the third straight year there were co-champions in the competition.
Scripps made the bee tougher after two consecutive ties, forcing the last two spellers to get through three times as many words as in years past.
Co-champion
Co-champion Jairam Jagadeesh Hathwar (C) and family members celebrate after the final round at the 89th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, May 26, 2016.
Thirteen-year-old Jairam is the younger brother of the 2014 co-champion, Sriram Hathwar. Nihar, at age 11, is the youngest winner of the bee on record.
Co-champions
Co-champions Nihar Saireddy Janga (L) and Jairam Jagadeesh Hathwar hold their trophy, May 26, 2016.
The pair battled for 25 rounds in the finals, each winning $45,000 in cash and prizes.