Skip to Search Skip to Live Player Skip to Content Skip to Footer

Tampa Student Won The 96th Scripps National Spelling Bee

Author Richie Ortiz

It has been a while since Tampa has been able to call ourselves Champa Bay. The last team to win a championship from the bay was the Lightning back in 2021. Until NOW! Everyone join me in celebrating our newest Champion, Bruhat Soma. Thank him for reinstating our Champa Bay name, because this Tampa student won the 96th Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Bruhat Soma

After placing 163rd in 2022, the 12 year old from Tampa got his redemption on Thursday night for the 96th Scripps National Spelling Bee final. Out of 240 contestants that started the competition, Bruhat stood proudly as one of the 8 that remained. The competition was so fierce, that Soma and 12 year-old Faizan Zaki of Texas had to have a spell-off to crown the winner. This is the second time a spell-off has happened in the spelling bee’s history.

Spell-offs are activated to determine a champion once time has expired and there are more than one competitor left. During the spell-off, each contestant has 90 seconds to spell as many words as they can correctly. In the final last night, Zaki spelled 20 words correctly. Soma however, spelled 29 correctly which ultimately earned him the championship. Soma won himself a bunch of prizes, bragging rights for a year, and a $50,000 cash prize.

Soma told CNN “I’m really excited. It’s been my goal for this past year to win, and I’ve been working really hard,” Bruhat said while still on stage, clutching his trophy. “I really can’t describe it, I’m still shaking.”

Another Florida Winner

This was the second consecutive year a Florida student won the National Spelling Bee. Dev Shah, a student from Largo, won the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee Championship by correctly spelling the word “psammophile”. So not only can we officially call ourselves “Champa Bay” again, but the entire state of Florida can take pride and call ourselves “The State of Champions”.

Source: CNN

Rich grew up in the Bronx, NY but moved to Tampa in 2006 to attend the University of Tampa. Even though he completed 4 years at the University for Sports Management, Ortiz realized his true passion for radio after taking a couple of classes to fulfill his communications minor and volunteering at UT's WUTT radio station as a sports director. Rich also worked at several clubs in Tampa as a host/promoter where he would meet and work alongside Davy Rolando, who would be the one who would help him get a job at WiLD 94.1. From there, Rich worked his way up from Promotions assistant to promotions coordinator, to eventually full-time on-air. Rich loves to write about his favorite Tampa food spots, concert reviews, and the WiLDest Florida man/woman stories.

Which Florida Cities Made The List For Best Places To Live In The U.S.

It happens every year, usually multiple Florida cities rank in the top 10 for best places to live in the U.S.. U.S. News and World Report just dropped the rankings for 2024-2025 and only 1 Florida city not only made the top 10 but was ranked #1 for the best place to live in the U.S.

U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places to Live rankings have been popular for many years. It’s a very trusted source because of all the research they do to come up with these rankings. Their mission is to help their readers make informed decisions on where they want to settle down.

The cities in the rankings are evaluated based on data from U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. News’ own internal resources. The data was then categorized into 4 different factors based on American’s preferences. Those factors are: quality of life, desirability, job market, and value. Now, I won’t bore you with the mathematics of it all, but if you want to learn more about how U.S. News and World Report calculated these cities scores, click here for the full methodology.

Which Florida City Ranked #1 For Best Places To Live In The U.S.

It’s not the first time this Florida city has made this list. But it is the first time Naples was named #1 for best places to live in the U.S.. Naples is known to be more of a retirement community, and even with threats from hurricanes, it’s still not stopping people from moving here in droves. U.S. News and World Report says “the greater Naples area supplies pristine beaches, sprawling golf courses, and fine dining and shopping.”

Naples wasn’t the only Florida city to make the rankings. But it WAS the only Florida city to crack the top 10.

Florida Cities That Made The List For Best Places To Live In The U.S.

  • #1. Naples

    We already told you that Naples was the named the #1 city to live in the U.S., even if most of its residents only live there during the winter months. naples beach  

  • #11. Sarasota

    Sarasota has a unique charm compared to its other coastal cities. It has a very vibrant art scene, beautiful beaches, great food and restaurants. Sarasota was also considered a “retirement community” but that is changing as more young professionals make it their own up-and-coming city.

    Going toward Downtown Sarasota from from the Ringling Bridge

  • #31. Pensacola

    White sand beaches is the main reason why Pensacola is so desirable. U.S. News and World Report says “Year round, the city’s vibrant nightlife is balanced by an abundance of family-friendly activities and a community atmosphere.”

    Dune fence and sea oats on the dunes at Pensacola Beach, Florida on Gulf Islands National Seashore.

  • #35. Tampa

    Finally Tampa made the list! We’re used to seeing Tampa higher up in these rankings, and definitely thought it would be higher based on all the people moving here just in the past year alone. The cost of living in Tampa is slightly higher than the national average, and the housing market has become so competitive in recent years. But out of all the cities in Florida, we’re happy to call Tampa home.  

    yoga in tampa

    Photo: Tampa Hillsborough EDC

  • #37. Fort Myers

    Situated between Tampa and Miami on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Fort Myers is a growing city. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast who loves humidity, Fort Myers is the place for you. The have miles of freshwater and saltwater channels for boating and fishing; trails for biking, hiking and paddling; and golf courses, tennis courts, swimming pools and shuffleboard courts. 

    fort myers neighborhood

  • #49. Melbourne

    Florida’s space coast is great for retirees, families, and young professionals. So we’re pretty surprised to see it ranked at #49. The median monthly rent here is about $1,400 and you can even find homes for under $300,000.

  • #56. Jacksonville

    Did you know Jacksonville is the largest metro area by land mass in the continental U.S? Jacksonville has also been listed in affordable Florida cities and one of the best places to start a career.

    jacksonville fl

  • #68. Orlando

    Orlando is so massive that it’s broken up into 3 different areas: Downtown Orlando, Residential “City Beautiful” Orlando, and of course, theme park capital Orlando. The cost of housing in Orlando is close to the national median sale price, although like with many markets, home prices have soared here in recent years.

    downtown orlando

Get The WiLD Flex Newsletter Delivered To Your Inbox

Stay connected with the hottest celebrity, music and Tampa/St. Pete stories, exclusive contests, games, and more.

*
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.
Author Richie Ortiz
Category:
Tags:
,,,,,,,

More WLLD

Load More