AARP National Spelling Bee

How Do You Spell F-U-N?

AARP Sponsors Spelling Bee for Competitors Age 50+

By: Laura Boswell | Source: AARP.org | 2009-03-31

Incredulous.

I’ll never forget the word “incredulous.” It was the word I missed, at age 12, in the regional spelling bee, the winner of which would proceed to the Scripps National Spelling Bee—fame! TV! Prizes! Incredulous was how I felt when I discovered the word was spelled not with a “j” but a “d.” I slunk off the stage. The mistake has haunted me ever since.

But thanks to AARP, “word nerds” like me can have a second chance to show off their  superior spelling skills at the 14th Annual AARP National Spelling Bee, June 20, in Cheyenne, Wyo. Competitors age 50+ from across the country will vie for more than $1,000 in gifts and prizes in this full-day event. And you could be one of them. (Click here to register.) 

Just like Larry Grossman, 56, of Fordville, N.D., who correctly spelled “debouch” (meaning “emerge”) to, well, debouch as the 2008 winner.

“It was the thrill of a lifetime for me to win a national championship, and I will always treasure that memory,” says Mr. Grossman.

His love of language is more than a hobby. An English and math teacher of grades 7-12, Mr. Grossman establishes spelling and vocabulary as important tools of communication for his students.

“It's my belief that words are the building blocks for our knowledge base, and I include spelling and vocabulary in quizzes, tests, and daily work,” he says. “Kids have always seemed to enjoy learning about words, and I enjoy teaching words and learning words.”

The big day begins with a written competition in the morning, narrowing the field to the top 15, who go on to compete in the oral spelling rounds. The spellers are allowed to miss three words before being knocked out of the competition. Good thing, too—past words have included scorpaenid (a bony fish), ergotamine (an alkaloid derived from ergot), cheongsam (a long Asian dress), and piezometer (a pressure gauge).

“Spellers can expect words from the humanities, liberal arts, scientific and medical terms, and words derived from foreign languages, too,” says AARP National Spelling Bee “Word Wizard” (head judge), Brian Greene.
 
Greene says spellers who like to read and have a basic understanding of the construction of words and language tend to perform best at the bee.

“Some spellers have told us that they enter the bee because they had performed well in a spelling bee when they were younger, and they want to test themselves again.” Greene said. “What they realize is, now that they are older, a lifetime of learning and reading has made them a much better and more confident speller.”
 
The AARP National Senior Spelling Bee was founded in 1996 by a group of Cheyenne AARP members who wanted to challenge members of the 50+ community to keep their minds sharp as they age. Over the years, it has grown into a highly competitive and challenging national event. It is open to anyone age 50 or older, except previous winners.

“It never ceases to impress me,” says Joanne Bowlby, AARP Wyoming Associate State Director of Communications. “The words can be very challenging and there’s a competitive energy in the air, yet there’s an underlying spirit of camaraderie and lots of laughter shared. I think everyone has a good time regardless of how they place.”
 
Whether you enjoy reading the dictionary or you just want to meet other like-minded adults, register for the AARP National Spelling Bee at aarp.org/spellingbee. Registration costs $25 per speller and includes lunch. Get a sample word list, learn the rules, and read more about the Bee at aarp.org/spellingbee or by calling the AARP office in Wyoming, toll-free, at 866-663-3290.

Trust me, you will bee incredulous.

http://www.aarp.org/aarp/presscenter/pressrelease/articles/2009_Spelling_Bee.html