Champion

Spring Lake, New Jersey

Katharine Close, age 13, sponsored by Asbury Park Press/Home News Tribune, won the $20,000 prize by correctly spelling the word “Ursprache.”

Kerry married and became Kerry Close Guaragno. She is a senior vice president at Group Gordon, a public relations firm, and previously was a reporter for several newspapers. She received an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a master’s at NYU in business and economic reporting.