Crowd comes out for Spell It! bee

The ninth annual Spell It! spelling bee, a fundraiser for the Vashon Community Scholarship Foundation, drew a crowd last Saturday, organizers say, and raised about $6,000, which is at least $1,000 more than last year’s event brought in.

February 11, 2015 4:18 pm
The Heleka team took honors in the costume category.
The Heleka team took honors in the costume category.

The ninth annual Spell It! spelling bee, a fundraiser for the Vashon Community Scholarship Foundation, drew a crowd last Saturday, organizers say, and raised about $6,000, which is at least $1,000 more than last year’s event brought in.

A group of three AmeriCorps National Civilian Conservation Corps members, Jackie Sams, Isaac Courchesne Owades and Samantha Farnsworth, who are currently volunteering on Vashon, became the champions of the event on the word “hydroxyzine,” an anti-histamine.

The costumed contestants also participated with enthusiasm, according to organizer Barbara Gustafson. The team at right, Heleka, made up of Henry Haselton, Leslie Shattuck and Karen Biondo, took top honors in the costume category for their Nordic-themed wear.

Fifteen teams participated in Saturday’s event, including five teams of VHS students.

Organizer Shirley Ferris noted the crowd’s enthusiasm this year, indicating this was the best bee yet.

“This one trumped them all,” she said.