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Continue reading →: Sicca syndromeThroughout this summer, let’s continue to explore medical words since they are a rich source of roots. Sicca syndrome is a condition in which the body exhibits signs and symptoms of extreme dryness because of abnormalities which occur with various glands. The most common cause of Sicca syndrome is the…
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Continue reading →: Favorite Flowers Poll
Spring is in the air and many bright flowers are blooming in our garden. Take a moment to look at the images and vote for your favorite flower!
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Continue reading →: Insider’s Guide to the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee – Awards Banquet and Dance Party
The morning after Finals, spellers had the opportunity to explore D.C. Thanks to Congressman John Yarmuth, my family received a visitor’s pass to the White House! I enjoyed walking through the rooms of the White House and especially seeing the portraits of former Presidents and First Ladies. We were also…
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Continue reading →: Insider’s Guide to the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee – Co-Champions are declared…again!
Congratulations to Jairam Hathwar and Nihar Janga, co-champions of the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee!!! This is the third year in a row that co-champions have been declared. Jairam is a thirteen year old seventh grader from New York and is the brother of Sriram Hathwar, the 2014 co-champion.…
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Continue reading →: Insider’s Guide to the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee – Finals (Part 1)
The Finals started this morning at 10:00 a.m. and were broadcasted on ESPN2. 45 spellers took the stage until only 10 were left. Round 4 was grueling and the bell was rung many times. Unfortunately, I was eliminated in Round 4 for incorrectly spelling bakshaish, an antique Persian rug with…
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Continue reading →: Insider’s Guide to the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee – Rounds 2 and 3
This morning, Round 2 of the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee commenced. The round started with 284 spellers. Unfortunately, a total of 34 spellers missed their words and were eliminated from the competition. Round 3 started with 251 spellers and saw 80 spellers eliminated. Unlike past years in which a…
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Continue reading →: Insider’s Guide to the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee – Round 1
This morning, all 285 spellers sat for the preliminary written exam; this is Round 1 of the Bee. There were 12 spelling words worth one point each and 12 vocabulary words also worth one point each. There were an additional two vocabulary words worth 3 points each – one of…
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Continue reading →: Insider’s Guide to the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee – The National Zoo and Opening Ceremony
Spellers and their families enjoyed a fabulous barbecue at the National Zoo today. There were a variety of activities for everyone to enjoy, such as hula-hooping and dancing. Caricature artists and face-painters were on hand this year as well! Of course, we could also roam around the beautiful zoo at…
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Continue reading →: Insider’s Guide to the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee – The Journey Begins
This morning, my family and I departed from Louisville, Kentucky and arrived in Washington D.C. The main event today was a Spellebrity Welcome and speller orientation. This was my first opportunity to meet the other amazing spellers and it was so exciting! My favorite part was when I received my…
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Continue reading →: Insider’s Guide to the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee
For the last couple of months, I have spent every spare moment studying for the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee. I’m really excited to be returning to Washington D.C. for the third time to compete at the national level. Last year, I wrote a series of posts detailing Bee Week and…
Hello,
I’m Tara!
My name is Tara and I am a recent graduate of Duke University, with dual degrees in cultural anthropology and political science, and a minor in linguistics. Twelve years ago, I started this blog to share my love of words with others and teach people about the intricacies of etymology and words across our beloved English language!
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