"The patient has had a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy." I ponder the various Greek roots in my head. "Salpinx" means Fallopian tubes, “oophor” means ovary, and "ectomy" means removal. Without even googling this word, I know that this person has had both sets of Fallopian tubes and ovaries removed. As an emergency department scribe, I encounter many words derived from Greek and Latin roots, and I expect to see more as I enter a career in medicine. This is just one small example of how much the spelling bee has impacted my life, beyond just learning proper study techniques and working hard.

Now, I am also able to share my love of language and words with my younger sister, who will be participating in the National Spelling Bee this year. While she has surpassed me and my dwindling spelling skills, she still occasionally asks me to quiz her on words instead of my father. Overall, being part of the spelling bee has left me with remarkable memories, experiences, and skills, and I am so glad to have been a part of it.