Coin toss settles adult spelling bee
Maxine Sullivan, of the Coeur d'Alene branch of the AAUW, reports:
In the end, it all came down to the toss of a coin. “Hive Mind,” representing AGC Aerocomposites of Hayden, won first place in the 2016 Kootenai County Adult Spelling Bee Thursday at North Idaho College. “Eleemosynary,” from North Idaho Eye Institute, claimed the second prize. Both had missed their final words in the 13th round of the bee—maquillage and triskaidekaphobia—with the event ending in a tie. The coin toss determined the winner. Danajo Cole, Michael Harryman and Calvin Saul spelled for the AGC team. Dr. Alison Granier, her mother, Robin Chisholm and Marjorie Valencia comprised the Eye Institute team.
Each of 10 teams was given 30 seconds to confer and write the word on an overhead projector. A team member then spelled the word for the audience. If there was a discrepancy, the written word prevailed. The words became progressively harder—and more obscure—as the bee progressed.
The Coeur d’Alene branch of American Association of University Women launched the adult spelling bee five years ago to raise money for scholarships at North Idaho College and the University of Idaho Coeur d’Alene Center. AAUW estimates that this year’s bee netted $2,600-$2,700 for local scholarships.
