KENNEBUNK — Escargot. Facsimile. Zucchini. Vertebrae. The only thing these words have in common is that they’re hard to spell, and on Wednesday night, that was the point, as teams of local businesses, students, parents and residents descended on Kennebunk’s Sea Road School in swarms to take part in the 2011 Spelling Bee benefiting the Education Foundation of the Kennebunks and Arundel. The event, which was the fifth such bee in the past six years, was won by the team from Federal Jack’s Brew Pub in Kennebunk.
Thirty-six teams competed, comprised of various spellers, from the Louis T. Graves Memorial Library in Kennebunkport to teachers from the Mildred L. Day School in Arundel, along with several other organizations. The Journal Tribune also joined the friendly competition as two-time defending champions.
But participants in the bee weren’t out for glory. The goal, said several contestants, was to show support for the Education Foundation and to have a fun night out.
Alec Sandmire, an employee at the Bennett’s store in Kennebunk, said that a little light practice before the bee was his only preparation.
“The last time I did a spelling bee was in fifth grade,” said Sandmire, who is now in high school. “I just had my dad ask me some really hard words on the ride over.”
Allison Lazos, a member of the Kennebunk Elementary School and Sea Road School Parent-Teacher Association group, said that she visited the website of the official Scripps National Spelling Bee to review a few tricky words before the event. The goal, though, for Lazos and her group, was to support the Education Foundation.
“That’s why we’re here,” she said.
The atmosphere in the gymnasium was festive, as several area school children dressed as bees buzzed around the main stage, helping with minor chores in between rounds. Teams that submitted incorrectly spelled words were eliminated from competition with the reverberant sounding of a giant gong, rung by district music teacher Tony Michaud.
The evening was the culmination of three months of preparation by the bee’s organizers: Mildred L. Day School Principal Kevin Crowley, Sea Road School Principal Steve Marquis, and community members Pamela Richard-Wuerthner and Jenni Kingston.
In the past, the event had raised money by charging a participation fee for competing teams, but this year, the fee was waived. Funding for the bee, as well as the donation to the Education Foundation, was provided by Kennebunk Savings Bank, to whom Crowley was especially thankful.
“They’ve been a strong, strong supporter,” said Crowley, adding that the focus this year was on the community. “This is a great way to thank the community. Instead of making it a fundraiser, it’s a friend-raiser. Nobody’s put on the spot.”
The Education Foundation of the Kennebunks and Arundel, founded in 2005, is an independent non-profit organization with the goal of enhancing the quality of education for RSU 21 students through grant programs. Its grants, according to the event program, “finance educational opportunities outside the scope of the school operating budget.”
Carol Frisbie of the Mildred L. Day School team was pleased to participate and show her support for the foundation.
“It’s great for us because we benefit from that, too,” said Frisbie. “It’s good to help others.”
— Staff Writer Jeff Lagasse can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 319, or at jlagasse@journaltribune.com.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
