Each spring, the Brookline Education Foundation Adult Spelling Bee brings our diverse community together for a wonderful fundraising event. Businesses, PTOs, neighborhood and community groups, town and public safety organizations, all sponsor teams of three spellers. Distinguished judges and pronouncers, prizes contributed by local businesses, and a diabolical selection of words, all contribute to the festivities. Competition is intense to win the coveted Bee trophy as well as the prize for best costume.

This year, the BEF will be taking a hiatus from our annual Adult Spelling Bee in order to celebrate our 30th Anniversary with a Gala on April 9, 2011.

The annual Brookline Education Foundation Children's Spelling Bee will take place on Sunday, March 13, 2011, from 12 to 2 pm in the Brookline High School Auditorium, 115 Greenough Street. Details about the Children's Bee will be mailed to the homes of Brookline Public School 5th grade students at the end of January.

If you are unable to join us, you can view the Bee in the comfort of your own home. Broadcasts and rebroadcasts of the Bee are presented and produced exclusively by Brookline Access TV and carried on Access Channel (Comcast 3 / RCN 3) and Municipal Channel (Comcast 23 / RCN 15).

Himal Mitra, Damon Burnard, and James Parker

Ed Loechler, Mary Dewart, and Peggy Ueda

And the Winners Are...

Congratulations to “Los Encantados,” a team from the Brookline Center featuring spellers Himal Mitra, Damon Burnard, and James Parker, who won the 2010 Adult Bee by correctly spelling the word “puerperal.”

The 2010 Adult Bee Best Costume Prize was awarded to “The Sustainables,” whose members, Peggy Ueda, Mary Dewart, and Ed Loechler, took the year's green theme seriously, dressing up in recycled materials.

How does the Adult Spelling Bee work?

Teams of three adults compete against each other in "swarms" of up to eight teams. There are eight swarms in the Bee. The winner of each swarm will then compete in the Championship Swarm. For details, see the Brookline Education Foundation Spelling Bee Rules, Team Procedures, and Instructions for Pronouncers and Judges.

Prizes are awarded to the members of the overall winning team, the runner-up team, and the team wearing the most creative costumes.

How do I sign up for the Adult Spelling Bee?

Teams can be sponsored by individuals, groups, and businesses. Sponsors can pull together their own team members or sponsor another group of individuals, such as police, fire officials, reading groups, neighborhood or school groups, or clergy. All teams and sponsors are listed in the program. The entry fee for each team is $300, which is tax deductible.

This year, the BEF will be taking a hiatus from our annual Adult Spelling Bee in order to celebrate our 30th Anniversary with a Gala on April 9, 2011.

Bob Zintl and Alma Bitran

Photo by Jean Stringham

Congratulations to Alma Bitran, a 5th grade student from Baker School, who won the 2010 Children’s Spelling Bee by correctly spelling the word “mosquito.” Bob Zintl, from Lincoln School, won second place.

The Brookline Education Foundation invites your 5th grade child to participate in its annual Children’s Spelling Bee. Details about the Bee are mailed to the homes of 5th grade students in the Brookline Public Schools at the end of January. If your child likes to spell, please encourage him or her to participate.

How does the Children's Spelling Bee work?

The Children’s Spelling Bee is an “old-fashioned” spelling bee with the spellers taking turns, each spelling a different word. Once a speller misspells one word, he or she is out of the Bee. Prizes are awarded to the winners and each speller receives a certificate for participating. For details on how the Bee works, see Children's Bee Rules and Procedures.