THE QUEEN BEES won the fifth and sixth grade round competition during the Lynnfield Educational Trust’s Spelling Bee on Jan. 23. Front row, from left, Ruby Curtis, Nora Witkin and Olivia Lynggaard. Back row, from left, Siena Coccoluto and Mackenzie Sullivan. (Courtesy Photo)
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Spelling has never been so fun.
Almost three hundreds residents came together to excitedly cheer on 17 teams during the return of Lynnfield Educational Trust’s Spelling Bee fundraiser in the Lynnfield Middle School auditorium on Jan. 23. The LET, which was formed in 1990, raises funds for educational projects that go beyond the regular school budget.
There were 17 teams and 85 participants that included students in grades 1-6 as well as adults who competed in LET’s Spelling Bee fundraiser. A number of teams wore costumes, particularly bee costumes. The LET first held the Spelling Bee fundraiser in 2004, but the nonprofit organization has not held the fundraiser in a number of years.
“The Spelling Bee was such a feel-good event,” said LET Co-President Kathryn Price. “The youth spellers in particular were so enthusiastic and excited to be there.”
LET Co-President Erin Howard agreed.
“We were so impressed with how self-possessed these young kids were, getting up on stage and working together as a team to spell challenging words, accepting losses and wins with grace, and approaching the whole experience with so much flexibility,” said Howard. “We were thrilled and so grateful to see the number of community members who showed up to cheer everyone on and support the event.”
The 17 Spelling Bee teams were set up on the LMS auditorium’s stage while the 297 residents in attendance cheered them on during the competition. There were six rounds, and each round had a winner.
During the first round that featured first grade and second grade teams, there was a tie between the “Bees that Spell, Never Spill” and “The Spelling Avengers.” The “Bees that Spell, Never Spill” featured Saanvi Bhalia, Reyansh Chudgar, Aahan Gupta, Ashmi Juyal and Aayush Mokashi. “The Spelling Avengers” included Ryker Staab, Natalie Ryou, Finn Mendese, Viaan Patel, Arya Navneeth and Anthony Guarracino.
“The Cool Kids” that was comprised of Arlo Cooney, Jacob Franklin, Zachary Franklin, Amelia Protasowicki and Emma McCaffrey won the second round that featured teams of first-graders and second-graders competing.
During the third round that featured third and fourth grade teams, “The Beelivers” featuring Risha Vora, Ishan Guttikonda, Nithya Nishanth, Madison Muse and Caroline Swiatkowski won the competition.
The fourth round was won by “The Spell Casters,” which was comprised of Audrey Delaney, Delia Dailey, Rachel Reilly, Olivia Martinez and Maeve Kleinpeter. The fourth round included teams comprised of third and fourth grade students.
During the fifth round that featured fifth and sixth grade students competing, “The Queen Bees” featuring Nora Witkin, Olivia Lyngaard, Siena Coccoluto, Mackenzie Sullivan and Ruby Curtis were crowned as champions.
The sixth round was comprised of adults, which was won by Team Triboard that included Select Board member Alexis Leahy, School Committee Chair Kristen Grieco Elworthy and Finance Committee member Sarah Kelley.
Superintendent Tom Geary and Assistant Superintendent Adam Federico, who served as the master of ceremonies for LET’s Spelling Bee, presented the Best Costume Award to the “Bee-yond Brilliant” team that featured Celine Witkin, Hannah Kelley, Mikayla Pagliuca, Mila Velazquez and Olivia Nisenbaum.
“The winning teams were awarded $10 gift cards to a selection of local stores,” said Price.
Howard said the LET raised $3,113 during the Spelling Bee fundraiser.
“Of these funds, $2,000 was raised through sponsorships from M&M Landscaping, ABH Services, Inc., Innovative Cost Solutions, LLC, Hixon and Bevilacqua Home Group, Mertens Educational Consulting, btone FITNESS Middleton, Cherry Tree Legal, PLLC, and Curious Kids Lynnfield,” said Howard. “Of these eight business owners, seven live in Lynnfield and one does business here. It is reflective of a true commitment and investment in this town. We are incredibly appreciative of their support. The additional $1,113 was raised through the sale of tickets.”
Price said the Spelling Bee’s proceeds will be used to support Lynnfield Public Schools’ educators.
“All funds Lynnfield Educational Trust raises go toward grant-making,” said Price. “In the case of this particular event, our overhead costs were for small materials for the event and were donated by board members and by a local family, the Kelley family, so 100 percent of the funds raised from the event will go towards grants.”
Howard recalled that the LET is a “volunteer-run, nonprofit organization that was created by a dedicated group of parents back in 1990.”
“Our mission is simple,” said Howard. “We raise money to fund projects that are outside the regular school budget and channel that money back to all of the Lynnfield Public Schools: Preschool through high school. Our hardworking Lynnfield Public Schools staff and educators apply to LET for grants for new and innovative projects they want to create. Our board, which includes parents as well as other Lynnfield residents and educators, meets twice each year in the spring and fall to review the grant applications and fund as many grants as we can. Since the fall of 2022, when Kathryn and I became co-presidents, we have funded 25 grants ranging from $400 to $5,000 per grant. We are pretty proud of that!”
Geary thanked the LET for holding a successful Spelling Bee fundraiser.
“The LET Spelling Bee fundraiser was a great night where students and families came together in a fun and entertaining way to support our schools,” said Geary. “The teams created such an upbeat atmosphere with their creative costumes and positive energy. The grants that LET provides are so important in providing various enrichment opportunities for our students that otherwise wouldn’t happen. Kathryn Price, Erin Howard and all of the volunteers and participants deserve so much credit for creating such a terrific event. I’m excited already for next year.”
Federico concurred with Geary’s viewpoint.
“The Spelling Bee is a great example of how our whole community can come together and support the students and have fun while doing it,” said Federico. “Our students did a phenomenal job by participating in this event. We are so appreciative of LET and the work they do to support us.”
Price said the LET’s Board of Directors was incredibly grateful for the community’s support of the Spelling Bee fundraiser.
“From the sponsors to the school personnel who showed up to help run the event or to cheer their students on, to the spellers and their families, this town and district showed up in a major way to support our fundraising efforts,” said Price. “We are so grateful to have these additional funds to grant to our LPS educators.”
Howard also said the LET board of directors’ felt “an immense sense of gratification” due to the Spelling Bee’s success.
“The effort of pulling together this event meant something to these kids,” said Howard. “There was a real sense of community about it and you had to smile when taking in these kids and adults just courageously putting themselves out there and cheering each other on. An additional sense of satisfaction for us comes from the health and functioning of this group. LET has been around for a long time and its longevity is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the parents who founded it and supported it for decades. When you inherit the opportunity to oversee something like this, you want to do it well and make sure that your work is grounded in the traditions of the group and sustains the important role the mission serves in this district. We take great pride in our work and we hope to continue to do justice to the rich traditions established by LET’s founders 35 years ago.”
Price echoed Howard’s sentiment.
“We had a huge sense of satisfaction in both seeing a true sense of community integrated into this fundraising event, and in knowing that every bit of effort will hopefully serve to inspire our teachers, make them feel supported by the community and, in doing so, provide new opportunities for the children in this town,” said Price.
In addition to Price and Howard, the LET Board of Directors includes Grants Director Karen Panos and Treasurer Lauren Kayola. The LET/Lynnfield Public Schools Advisory Board members consists of LMS nurse Chris Sheils, special education teacher Elisabeth Jones, Summer Street School second grade teacher Lisa Forrest, Summer Street School second grade teacher Debra Guenard, Huckleberry Hill School third grade teacher Christine Meinert and Lynnfield High School social studies teacher Jen Goguen.