Photo courtesy of the Southington Education Foundation
The “Wanna Bees” team (left to right, John Zimmerman, Joe Peccerillo and Dave Pestillo) won the Southington Education Foundationas Annual Community Spelling Bee in 2015.
SOUTHINGTONa The Southington Education Foundation is seeking sign-ups for its sixth annual Community Spelling Bee, which will be held April 21 at Southington High School and will benefit local educational initiatives.
The spelling bee will be held at 7 p.m.
“This event began when Alan DeBisschop, one of our previous directors, was on vacation in Maine and saw an adult spelling bee that he was very impressed with,” said Jan Galati, chair of the Southington Education Foundation.
The spelling bee, co-chaired by Donna Gilewski and Paula Knight, will be judged by Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connellan and Southington Public Schools Language Arts Coordinator Stephanie Lawlor.
Steve Proffitt will act as the emcee or “Bee Master” and, according to Galati, he will be “sure to keep the audiences laughing all evening.”
“The Cyber Knights are real stars in our community who have garnered national attention,” said Galati.
Last year, Galati said the winners of the Community Spelling Bee were Dave Pestillo, Joe Peccerillo and John Zimmermanas team, the “Wanna Bees.”
Since its inception in 2009, the Southington Education Foundation has awarded over $170,000 in grants.
Programs that have benefitted from these donations include Southington High Schoolas engineering and technology department, and WISE (women in science and engineering) program as well as the Artist in Residence program with the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain and the YMCAas Science at Sloper program.
“For investing just a small bit of time and money, this event will have great results for enriching our studentsa educational experience,” she said.
For more information, to register a team, or to make a donation, visit southingtoneducationfoundation.org or call Jan Galati at 860-628-0279 or email SEF.Donations@gmail.com.
WHAT: The Southington Education Foundationas sixth annual Community Spelling Bee.
