Jacquelyn Martin / AP Karthik Nemmani, 14, from McKinney, Texas, left, holds his trophy with President and CEO of the E.W. Scripps Company Adam Symson. Karthik Nemmani, a 14-year-old from Texas, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee Thursday, beating out a crowd of more than 500 competitors. Karthik beat out the crowd of 515 fellow spellers from across the country during a competition that spanned four days.