Community comes together for 5th annual CAPE Spelling Bee

The auditorium crackled with energy as participants of all ages nervously awaited their turn at center stage. Some escaped to the hallways to enjoy some candy and pizza; others sank slowly in their seats, afraid of what was to come. Parents mingled, siblings and friends ran around, and as darkness fell outside of Canton High School, the spelling bee began.

School administration: (l-r) Supt. Jeff Granatino; Jen Henderson, Curriculum and Instruction; Debra Bromfield, Student Services; Susan McGowan, secretary; Martha Lawless, Food Services (Photo by Mary Ellen Cahill)

For the fifth consecutive year, the Canton Alliance for Public Education (CAPE) held the popular event that raises funds for the organization and brings together Canton citizens. According to Spelling Bee Chair Katie Zack, “CAPE is one of the only town organizations that provides money to all Canton Public Schools (as compared to the CAPT groups from each school) and it is important to CAPE to embrace the community as a whole.”

The sense of inclusion was on display in the hallway outside of the auditorium, where Community Problems Solvers had set up tables to raise awareness and collect data for projects designed to tackle problems in Canton.

In the auditorium, spellers gathered at black tables under banners bearing the names of the major sponsors. Each team elected a leader, whose job it was to write the word on a white board, a high pressure responsibility. One incorrect letter and a team could find itself booted from the stage.

Along with teams culled from the schools, adults and seniors also participated. Some teams even dressed for success. Huddled on the far right of the auditorium sat Canton’s librarians, with the team name “CPL Spellbinders” emblazoned on their forest green shirts, ready to face the competition. A group of ninth grade girls intimidated their classmates in all-black ensembles with matching headbands. Wins were spread out, with third graders from the Kennedy School, fourth graders from the Luce School, and fifth graders from the Hansen School all taking home trophies.

Trish Francescon, past president of CAPE, said the bee was a “fun community event where every grade competes, and is also a great fundraiser for us.”

CAPE uses money raised by events like the spelling bee to award grants to local applicants. “On average, CAPE has approximately $15,000 to $20,000 to give each year,” Zack said, “and it is usually split 50/50 between the fall and spring grant cycles.”

Jeff Granatino, superintendent of Canton schools, was on hand to moderate and later became a speller himself. He said the evening had been a blast, if not a little nerve wracking. Like many in the building, though, Granatino felt the event was well worth the effort. He summed up the evening: “It’s all for a good cause — win, lose, or draw.”

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Posted by Kelsey Oates on Feb 24 2011. Filed under News. Both comments and pings are currently closed.