PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio — News 5 continues to Follow-Through on the stories in your community.
When others leave, we return to check on the progress.
Back in May of 2023—we followed the incredible journey of an Incarnate Word Academy student and Scripps National Spelling Bee contestant.
RELATED: Incarnate Word Academy 7th grader competes in Scripps National Spelling Bee
Advait Nishit gave it his all and made it to the national stage in D.C.
He unfortunately fell short a few rounds in to the competition.
His hard work has paid off, and he's once again returning to the Scripps National Spelling Bee for a second run at the title in 2024.
Advait says he feels confident in his studying process, and he's ready for redemption.
As an eighth grader—this is his final chance to bring home the trophy before he heads to St. Ignatius High School for freshman year.
He's been studying non-stop and says he's still having a blast with the process.
He says regardless of how things play out—he's so excited to represent Incarnate Word Academy in Parma Heights and have a new opportunity to highlight his skill set.
"Yeah, I'm definitely a bit more ready for it. And last time—I've been preparing a bit better. Hopefully, I'll do much better," Advait said.
Advait made an incredible run for the championship last year.
His parents, classmates and teachers were beyond proud.
But he still reflects on his performance.
"The word I got wrong was gamut, in round three of the Spelling Bee. It's spelled g-a-m-u-t. I couldn't figure out that second vowel," Advait said.
He says the past is the past, and he's focused on success in the present.
He is studying harder than ever, with the same incredible coaches and parents standing behind him.
He's hitting the books and specialized manuals at least one to two hours a day.
They're a more specialized grouping of words instead of the monstrous Merriam-Webster Dictionary he relied on last year.
On weekends, he will study upwards of five to six hours a day.
No word is too complicated for the Strongsville resident.
In fact, he welcomes them all.
"The fear of Peanut Butter...ARAC... A-R-A-C-H-I-B-U-T-Y-R-O-P-H-O-B-I-A," Advait said.
What's different this go around for Advait is experience and lessons learned.
"This year I've been focusing a lot more about Latin and Greek words because they're the foundation of the English language," Advait said.
The jitters of being on a big stage, he says, have dissipated as well.
He's working to keep calm while in the spotlight and under pressure.
"The hardest part was just getting on stage, facing your fears and just spelling the word confidently," Nishit said.
I provided some guidance, as well. Despite having no actual background or legitimized Intel, when it comes to Spelling Bees or competing on a national stage.
"I know this is a high-pressure situation, but think about it, as you get older, no one else cares. They're only thinking about themselves. So once you tell yourself that—you're like it's whatever. I'm just here doing this and competing," Mike Holden said.
My words of inspiration aside—Advait has the knowledge, skill-set and determination to back it up.
He won his school's annual spelling bee in January—which qualified him for the regionals.
He then defeated 19 students after three hours of multiple, high-intensity rounds to claim the Region 2 Bee—securing his spot in D.C.
"This is what to me seemingly looks like a backpack... What's in here? Two of my trophies that I won at regionals. The hardware if you will," Advait said.
Advait remains poised and nonchalant.
He's now eager to return to the Scripps National Spelling Bee stage for a true finale, and he's crediting Incarnate Word Academy for laying the groundwork.
"IWA has helped me a lot in my spelling journey. All the teachers, administration and all my fellow students, they have been supporting me through my spelling journey," Advait said.
In addition to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Advait is competing in a separate bee entirely in his mother's Indian language.
That next bee is not until July, so he says he has some time to study and differentiate the words.
News 5 will Follow-Through with each development from the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which starts on May 28 and runs through May 30 in National Harbor, Maryland.
You can watch it on Scripps News partner networks ION TV and ION PLUS.
We wish all of the contestants the best of luck as they vie for the top prize.
