Mastery Achieved Through Spelling Bee Victory: Champions Credit Competition for Future Success
Former Scripps National Spelling Bee champions, including Joanne Lagatta who won in 1991, have seen their lives altered for the better due to the competition. Lagatta, a neonatologist at Children's Wisconsin, credits the spelling bee for teaching her resilience and a determination to take on complex challenges.
Unlike modern champions who may achieve celebrity status, those who triumphed before the competition was broadcast by ESPN often lived relatively anonymous lives, known solely for their impressive middle school achievement. A simple Google search will reveal their spelling bee victory among the top results.
Many past champions, such as Jacques Bailly, the 1980 champion, and Paige Kimble, a winner the following year, have remained associated with the bee. Bailly serves as the longtime pronouncer, while Kimble previously held the position of executive director. Vanya Shivashankar, a co-champion in 2015, returns annually as the master of ceremonies, and her older sister, Kavya, is part of the panel responsible for selecting competition words.
The Associated Press interviewed seven former champions about their membership in this exclusive club. Among them, Anamika Veeramani, the 2010 champion, has combined her spelling bee victory with academic success, obtaining her medical degree from Harvard after graduating from Yale in three years. She is currently a resident in plastic and reconstructive surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, where her disciplined approach has been a constant throughout her life.
Molly Baker, the 1982 champion, has found a way to leverage her past success in journalism. Although she was never uncomfortable discussing her spelling bee title, she acknowledges an air of nerdy charm about her accomplishments. The Wall Street Journal staff writer cites her spelling bee triumph as playing a role in her being noticed for an internship at Real Life with Jane Pauley, an evening news show.
Jon Pennington, who won the bee in 1986, was aware of his social awkwardness but credits his autism with contributing to his victory. After being diagnosed at age 40, Pennington has embraced his condition and is now working as a writer, collaborating on an unpublished biography of songwriter Eden Ahbez.
Nupur Lala, the 1999 champion, is also remembered fondly in the spelling bee community. Her victory laid the groundwork for a quarter-century of Indian American dominance in the competition. Married to fellow spelling bee participant John Masko, who frequently challenges her in Scrabble, Lala works as a neuro-oncologist, focusing on brain and spine tumors.
Kerry Close Guaragno, the 2006 champion, has parlayed her spelling bee experience into a passion for endurance running. Having qualified for the Boston Marathon earlier this year, Guaragno sees parallels between marathon training and her spelling bee journey, crediting her single-minded persistence for both accomplishments.
Dev Shah, the 2021 champion, took pride in publishing an op-ed in The Washington Post about how the spelling bee fostered risk-taking and acceptance of results. While he embraces being a spelling champion, Shah hopes his future achievements will not be overshadowed by this early recognition.
As the Scripps National Spelling Bee celebrates its 100th anniversary this week, these former champions continue to draw inspiration from their experiences, explaining how the competition has shaped their lives and careers.
- Nupur Lala, the 1999 champion, and Kerry Close Guaragno, the 2006 champion, both share a passion for sports, with Guaragno qualifying for the Boston Marathon and Lala married to a fellow spelling bee participant who challenges her in Scrabble.
- Dev Shah, the 2021 champion, and Anamika Veeramani, the 2010 champion, have both found success in their respective fields of education and self-development, with Veeramani now a resident in plastic and reconstructive surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Shah advocating for risk-taking and acceptance of results.
- Unlike some modern champions who may have achieved celebrity status, Molly Baker, the 1982 champion, leveraged her spelling bee victory in journalism, citing her triumph as a factor in being noticed for an internship at Real Life with Jane Pauley.
