C. The competition began on Tuesday and featured 247 spellers from around the country. Avishka Dudala, an eighth grader from North Texas, advanced to the finals, which took place on Thursday.

Unfortunately, Dudala's run in the competition came to an end after a misspelling. Further details about the competition and Dudala's performance are available from the source. The outcome of the national competition has been determined, with Dudala being the lone North Texan to reach the finals.