The Friends of the Scarsdale Library has announced their second annual Adult and Teen Spelling Bee to be held in the Scarsdale High School auditorium on January 27, 2012 at 7:30pm. While “silence and tension” are the hallmarks of children’s spelling bees, this Spelling Bee will encourage all participants to laugh, relax and have fun. The audience will be entertained by trivia questions, music, and emcee Ed Coleman, the radio voice of the New York Mets.

"The adult spelling bee was a real Scarsdale happening, and I expect will be even better attended this year since the word is out that it's the place to be,” said Lucas Meyer, a member of last year’s “Hip to Bee Square” team. “ I'm hoping that I once again am asked to spell "hieroglyphic", because after flubbing it in the first round of the finals last year, I'll never again forget that it's "h-i-e" and not "h-e-i"!

The "Bee Cause" team, composed of Emily Sherwood, Sharon Lindsay and Beverely Sved, will also be competing again. “Having recovered from last year's humiliation--we got tossed out during the first round--we hope to prove that we are not DUMBBELLS--the word that got us--, said Sved.

People of all ages are participating in this fun-filled event. Many businesses have already pledged to sponsor. Funds from last year’s Bee will be used for technology upgrades to the Library's community room, including wi-fi, a new projector and screen, additional microphones, and a blu-ray player.

The deadline for teams to sign up is December 31, 2011. Each team may consist of up to three members, high-school age or above, and pays an entry fee of $150. Throughout the Spelling Bee, the members of each team can collaborate among themselves on how to spell the words. Each team will write its answer on a dry erase board until the final round, when the top teams will spell their words verbally.

Application forms for Spelling Bee teams are available at the Library or online at www.scarsdalelibrary.org/friends. For more information, contact Spelling Bee Chairs Renu Lalwani at 917-584-8834 ([email protected]) or Sara Werder at 472-6264 ([email protected])