Un-BEE-lievable SPELLERS Battle it out for Bragging Rights at SKCARES Annual Spelling Bee!

South Kingstown C.A.R.E.S. held their 13th Annual Spelling Bee for adults of our town at the Elks Lodge on February 15, 2017. Supporters of the non-profit that place and train volunteers to work with our youth in the schools were varied and vivacious! From the district's Superintendent, Kristen Stringfellow, as a judge to local high school student, Morgan Alley, as a volunteer photographer, it was difficult to find balance between the seriousness and the hilarity of the competition!

Teams of four collaborate for 30 seconds before agreeing on their final answer and their "Captain" reads their answer while former Principal, Deb Zepp, records the word on a projector. Each of the judges determine the team's outcome. Nancy Burroughs, one of the founders of SKCARES, Peggy Noble, former English teacher and student spelling Bee organizer, and Meg Healey, our Town Council President, with Ms. Stringfellow, helped set the tone of friendly competition by balancing banter with dictionary dexterity.

While Mistress of Ceremony swore each participant in ("raise your right hand") and carried the show delightfully through the process, the Queen Bee, former principal Sheila Sullivan, buzzed around the room to each table with the microphone so spectators could hear the spellers. Record-keeper, Special Ed. teacher and SKCARES Board Secretary, tried with tunnel-vision to keep track of who would move on to the next round. Not an easy task!

As the competition heated up, it was clear who would become finalists. Matunuck Elementary took FIRST PLACE and Bragging Rights for a year! Miss Spellers and Career Construction of Rhode Island battled it out to ultimately Tie for SECOND PLACE!!

These events bring our community together with our schools to support our children. THANK YOU all who were a part of this extraordinary event!!

The Board Members of SKCARES