Bee Week Has Arrived/Memorial Day/Fun Facts

It is time for Bee Week to begin, but let us begin with important business. Tomorrow is Memorial Day - a day to honor those who died for our country.

Here are some words in honor of this important day:

• patriotic
• honor
• flowers
• barbecue
• monument
• marines
• soldier
• memories
• unknown
• tomb
• battle
• legion
• cemetery
• remembrance 
• casualties
• ceremonies
• commemorate
• valor

Fun Facts About the Scripps National Spelling Bee: 

• It is the nation's longest educational program!
• The first National Spelling Bee (1925) only had nine spellers. This year, there are 278 spellers going participating, but the record was in 2009 (293 spellers). 
• The first winning word was "gladiolus", and last year's winning word was "cymotrichous". The Bee has come a long way since then.
• Bee Week has more than just spelling; it takes place in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, so I think you can assume what many spellers love to do: sight-seeing! Spellers also go to a barbecue on Memorial Day, they hang out with friends, they cheer for and congratulate each other, there is a banquet on Friday, and so much more!
• The official pronouncer of the the Bee, Dr. Jacques Bailly, was the 1980 Champion (winning word: elucubrate); The director of the Bee, Paige Pipkin Kimble, was the 1981 Champion (winning word: sarcophagus); One of the judges, Blake Giddens, was the 1983 Champion (winning word: Purim); another judge, George Thampy, was the 2000 Champion (winning word: demarche).

I will post more facts as the week goes along! For now, good luck spellers and "may the odds be ever in your favor!"