By Audrey Anderson
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The Medfield Coalition for Public Education (MCPE) held their 17th Annual fun-style spelling bee on March 15 at the Medfield High School Auditorium. The event was graciously sponsored by Medfield Orthodontics. Rounds were held first for Dale School, and then for Wheelock School, and, at the end of the competition, winners were celebrated for grades 2-3 and 4-5.
Students from grades 2 through 5 joined with friends to form spelling teams. Many of the teams wore creative costumes to the event. Several Harry Potters were in attendance, as well as cooks, sports legends, bees, a Tootsie Roll and Hershey Kiss, and nineteenth-century gentlemen with coats and top hats. One team of boys in Patriots hoodies and with black microphones wrapped around their heads proudly proclaimed themselves the “Bill Spellichicks.”
Outside in the lobby of the auditorium, teams waited for their rounds to begin, showed off their costumes, signed posters with notes for teachers, took team photos in a beautiful blue-and-white balloon arch, and ate some delicious snacks.
While parents watched from the audience, rounds of spellers sat with their teams at tables on the stage at the auditorium, and a teacher read each word to be spelled and then illustrated its use by including the word in a sentence. Teams were encouraged to confer on the spelling of each word and then write their answers on whiteboards. Volunteer teachers checked each team’s board and gave them a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down sign.
Of course, this was a competition, so each team leaned together closely and whispered when discussing how words should be spelled, lest another team should overhear their conference.
Winners from each round competed until the spelling champions were determined. The champions were then presented with beautiful golden trophies and claimed their bragging rights for the year. All of the students enjoyed the afternoon and learned to value the skill of correct spelling.
