25th Reaching Heights Spelling Bee planned for April 20

Sally Wile, of the Presbee Spellers from Forest Hill Presbyterian Church, competes in the 2015 Bee.

Where would one find an attorney, a professor and a violinist, in costume, on stage?  At the 25th annual Reaching Heights Adult Community Spelling Bee. This serious yet fun spelling competition celebrates public education and raises funds for Reaching Heights. Bring your friends and family to the Bee on Wednesday, April 20 at 7 p.m., at Heights High (Wiley campus). Admission is free.

The Bee brings together business owners, community groups, school administrators and staff, parents, students and neighbors. Bigger and better than ever, the 25th Bee will have audience participation like never before.

This spelling bee is a team event. Three spellers work together to write down the letters in the word given to them and then send a teammate to the microphone to read out the team’s best guess. Teams name themselves and dress in costumes that represent their company, school or organization, or play with a letters or insect theme. Team names include the Ms. Spellers (comprising Roxboro Elementary and Middle School PTAs), the Episco-spellians (from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church), and Upper Case (Case Western Reserve University professors, who compete wearing ceremonial caps and gowns).  

This annual event is a community collaboration to support Reaching Heights programs that enrich students, support teachers, and connect the community to Heights public schools.

Each three-member team pays a $500 entrance fee and is encouraged to solicit additional support from friends, neighbors and co-workers to be named the Fundraising Champion, a title held for more than 10 years by the Upper Case team.

The Cleveland Orchestra boasts the Bee’s most successful team. OOPS, short for Orchestral Orthographers Prognosticate Success, was co-champion in 2010 and 2012, and sole champion in 2006 and 2007.

The winning team receives a prize package and has its team name engraved on the coveted big plastic bee trophy. There is also a sweet prize and cute trophy for the Best Cheering Section.

Come make some noise, cheer for your team, win a raffle prize and feel the excitement as brave spellers take the long walk to the microphone and S-P-E-L-L  H-A-R-D  W-O-R-D-S.