Sweet spell of success: DeKalb fourth grader heads to Scripps National Spelling Bee competition

DeKalb County student Sarv Dharavane is heading to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Maryland on May 28.
Ten-year-old Dunwoody fourth grader and Georgia Association of Educators State Spelling Bee winner Sarv Dharavane stands alongside his father and mother, Shailesh Dharavane and Shilpa Tupe, at an Austin Elementary School pep rally on March 8, 2024. (Courtesy of DeKalb County Schools)

“Dashiki. D – A – S – H – I – K – I.”

For most, it’s just a word. For 10-year-old Sarv Dharavane, it spelled out a long-awaited victory at the Georgia Association of Educators State Spelling Bee in March.

The winning word not only granted the fourth grade student the distinction of being a state spelling bee champion, but has also earned him a trip to National Harbor, Maryland.