Creative billboards recognize Spelling Bee champion from Tampa Bay area

TAMPA, Fla. - For the second straight year, a student from the Tampa Bay area won the Scripps National Spelling Bee competition, and a creative billboard congratulated the student in a creative way.

READ: Tampa Bay area student wins 2024 National Spelling Bee

Bruhat Soma, a rising eighth grader at Turner/Bartels K-8 School in New Tampa, was crowned the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion last week after winning in an ‘overtime’ spell-off. 

Courtesy: Outfront Media

Now, some Tampa billboards are recognizing his victory with a message befitting a spelling champ. 

The billboard features two misspellings of the word ‘Congratulations’ crossed out with red lines and then finally the correct spelling at the bottom with his name in bold lettering. 

Soma spoke to FOX 13 last week and said the victory is ‘like a dream come true.’

"Last year, I was really disappointed, because my goal was to make finals last year, but then I lost in the first round of quarters," Soma said.

His winning word was ‘abseil.’ It's a Germanic word, meaning a ‘descent in mountaineering by means of a rope looped over a projection above.’

He received a trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes as champion. 

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