Spelling bee champ returns home to Fresno

FRESNO — The winner of this year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee is back home in Central California.

Ananya Vinay arrived Thursday night at Fresno Yosemite International Airport, where she was greeted by dozens of friends and two large banners. The 12year-old lives in Fresno.

The Fresno Bee reports that U.S. Rep. Jim Costa introduced himself as her congressman.

Her homecoming, however, was expected to be short lived. She was set to be honored at her school on Friday before heading to Los Angeles for an appearance on “The Jimmy Kimmel Show.”

Ananya won the spelling bee on June 1, ending on the word “marocain,” which means a type of dress fabric

f crepe.