To Bee or Not to Bee Wins the Bee

To Bee or Not to Bee Wins the Bee

Tuesday, 01 February 2011 10:41

Last Updated: Tuesday, 01 February 2011 12:57

Published: Tuesday, 01 February 2011 10:41

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The Beebops, the Spell Chicks, The Library Trust-Bees and seventeen other teams competed in the first annual Friends of the Scarsdale Library Adult and Teen Spelling Bee on January 28th in the Scarsdale High School Auditorium.

The Bee was held to benefit the technology upgrade in the community room of the Scarsdale Library. Enough funds were raised to install hard wired-internet access and wifi in the Scott Room, plus some additional items. Ed Coleman (radio voice of the Mets) was the humorous emcee of the event, and the panel of judges included New York State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, Mayor

Amy Paulin and Emcee Ed Coleman

Carolyn Stevens, and Dana Bernstein, Co-President of the Library Teen Advisory Board. Adam Krajchir, the President of the Scarsdale History Society, and Cindy Krossman handled the audience literary trivia quizzes "Worker Bees" (People helping out at the event) kept busy preparing for the fun night of competition, fun prizes, and laughs for the contestants and audience members.

The Bee competition started with a first round of eliminations. There were three people per team, and each group of teams in the first round was titled Swarms A, B, C, and D. The winning team from each swarm then competed in the finals. The first word of the Bee, Lightning, didn't stump one team, but as the Bee progressed more challenging words knocked teams out. Words that slipped up many teams included carburetor, potpourri, and auxiliary. Proving even more challenging were tricky words like vichyssoise, and pismire. There were also a few comedic words thrown in including nincompoop, which definitely had the audience laughing.

The Bee champions were "To Bee or Not to Bee,” comprised of Bill Roberts, Columbia freshman Zohaib Chida, and Pam Margand. Each member of the winning team received a Kindle, donated by Prudential Centennial Realty. Zohaib’s father Junaid Chida was on a rival team (the Colonials).

The first runner-up team was the Spell Chicks: Library Director Beth Bermel, Head Reference Librarian Jennifer Friedman, and Library Business Manager Roberta Stein-Ham.

The Trigens team (which made the final round) was composed of Randy Guggenheimer, Jr, his son Randy Guggenheimer III, and his grandson, Scarsdale High School senior Brian Guggenheimer.

The oldest participant was Esther Sloan, age 81. She was on the Hip to Be Square team (which made the final round) with Lucas Meyer and Ian Wilson.

The Wanna Bee team was Yale freshman Marcus Moretti and his uncles Dan Moretti and Jon Unger. The Wanna Bees received a special “Nick of Time” award since Marcus was unable to get a cab to the train station, had to take a later train, and arrived at the bee just in time to go on stage.

Incoming Mayor Miriam Flisser and her husband Harvey sponsored one of the teen teams (Spellcasters, aka "Teem" Miriam).

If you would like to donate send checks payable to “Friends of the Scarsdale Library” to “Scott Room Fundraiser, Friends Treasurer, 54 Olmsted Road, Scarsdale NY 10583.” Funds were raised from sponsors, the $150 team entry fee, the $5 admissions fee, food and raffle sales, and individual donors.

Event sponsors

Platinum Level $2,500: Anonymous

Diamond Level $1,000