West Haven Public Schools hosted its inaugural ‘Districtwide Faculty Spelling Bee’ on Thursday, March 2 in the West Haven High School Auditorium. Lucille Portley, a speech therapist at Pagels Elementary School, spelled ‘Formaldehyde’ correctly to win the contest. She outlasted Matt Cohen, a math teacher at WHHS.
At the end of the event, WHHS Principal Dana Paredes announced winners from numerous categories as well. Those winners were the following: Biggest Cheering Section (Washington School); Best Theme (Pagels School); Best Costume (WHHS); Most Spirit (Bailey Middle School); Most Sponsors (Erin McCauley and Martha Jacobs, WHHS); and Most Likely to Need a Dictionary (Washington School).
The faculty spelling bee also received help from high school students as the WHHS Pep Band performed throughout the contest, and theatre students took turns playing different characters as they escorted contestants off the stage after misspelling a word.
The spelling bee featured six faculty members from six schools. The team names and members are listed below:
~~ The West Haven High School Bee Devils; Mariam Alajjan, Matt Cohen, Erin McCauley, Richelle Berretta, Martha Jacobs, Alissa Ficaro
~~ The Bailey Teenie Weenie Spelling Beenies; Greg Heudorfer, Jen Lynch, Patty Torro, Pat Toole, Lars Edeen, Billijo Brown
~~ Carrigan: Avada Kedavra; Jackie Cincotta, Don Funaro, Eric Glagowski, Chris Kehoe, Kelly Marchitto, Frank Santacroce
~~ Haley: Don’t Stop BEEleavin’; Michelle Lonsdale, Jacqueline Forchetti, Jamie Fryer, Geralyn Thayer, Lauren Jacobs, Jackie Morrell
~~ Pagels: The Spell Casters; Tracey Johnson, Christina Schoenamn, Tony Delvechio, Lisa Alteri, Lucille Portley, Joanne Guthrie
~~ The Washington WannaBees; Michaela Smith, Allison Wendt, Weston Thomas, Lisa Eberle, Allison Bernard, Olivia Panetti