WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Sam Brownback today congratulated Kavya Shivashankar of Olathe, who won the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

"Congratulations to Kavya and her family on a wonderful win after so much hard work," stated Brownback. "Every year she did better and better and this year she won. She did everyone in the State of Kansas proud."

Kava attends California Trail Junior High in Olathe and her father Mirle was also her coach. This is the fourth year she has entered where she placed tenth, eighth, and fourth respectively. She was one of 293 national finalists and correctly spelled forty words. She hopes to be a neurosurgeon some day.

Brownback continued, "Kavya Shivashankar is an outstanding example of what hard work and persistence can achieve. She is a true champion and I hope she is a role model for all students in Kansas."