In 1961, 12-year-old John Capehart of Tulsa, Oklahoma, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee after correctly spelling “smaragdine.” He became the first champion from Oklahoma, though he was just the second Bee finalist in his family – John's brother Mark placed 12th in 1958! Fast forward 64 years, and John returned to Bee Week 2025 to help us celebrate our 100th anniversary – a wonderful reminder how the Bee continues to connect generations through the power of words. Thank you, John, for spelling your way into history. 🐝💯 #spellingbee #thebeeturns100