By JOSEPH WHITE
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Cool and collected, Kavya Shivashankar wrote out every word on her palm and always ended with a smile.
The13-year-old Kansas girl saved the biggest smile for last, when she rattled off the letters to "Laodicean" to become the nation's spelling champion.
The budding neurosurgeon from Olathe, Kan., outlasted 11 finalists Thursday night to win the 82nd Scripps National Spelling Bee, taking home more than $40,000 in cash and prizes and, of course, the huge champion's trophy.
After spelling the winning word, which means lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics, Kavya received huge hugs from her father, mother and little sister.
Kavya was making her fourth appearance at the bee, having finishing 10th, eighth and fourth over the last three years.
She enjoys playing the violin, bicycling, swimming and learning Indian classical dance, and her role model is Nupur Lala, the 1999 champion featured in the documentary "Spellbound."
Second place went to 12-year-old Tim Ruiter of Centreville, Va.
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On the Net:
Scripps National Spelling Bee: http://spellingbee.com/
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