"Tritium" anyone?

The word that was challenged (team spelled it "tridium") and the pronouncer said they were correct; our team challenged and the judges allowed them to get a new word to spell. The difference between winning team and tied for 2nd place. (If the team that got this word had not won, Anderson County Library table would have won.) We did score 18 points and two other teams scored 18, with Anderson County Library scoring 19 and the winning team, Wachovia Bank reps with 20 points. So you can see it was close.

The hors d'oeuvres were really good, and dessert was wonderful too. I'm glad I got to participate in this event and hope to do it next year.

Here are the tables before people started coming in:

- this is the table where I was sitting along with a doctor, a volunteer and two other members of the Foothills Writers Guild. We could snack on the M&Ms sitting on the table if we wanted to - lol




The winning table - as you can see, no one told them they could decorate their table. Maybe next year they will have something fun on their table. Of course, they have to defend their title.




This is the Anderson County Library table, which as you can see I moved when I snapped the picture so it is a little out of focus. I would have liked to see them have some bookmarks and some fake books on their table - make it worthy of a library table - lol.


This is the Cardiologist table and they had a player come in late (who apparently was their speller), but when you get level 2 words like "eulogy", who needs a good speller on your team?




This group came in decorating. Another bank sponsored table. But when a group of women call themselves "The Wild Bunch" you know you are in for some fun.




This is the Anderson University table. They were pretty good. They did try and I think may have been one of the teams that was tied with 18 points.





This is one of the other bank people present. Do you think they are trying to tell us something by putting all this pirate stuff on the table? The People's Bank are pirates? Only kidding. This made the table fun and they seemed to be having a good time. Very good spellers as well.


From the pictures, I'd say this was advertisement for an old movie. With a name like "Spellbound," they were headed in the right direction to a spelling bee. How appropriate.




Last year's winning team. Simple and no decorations. I believe they came in 8th or 9th this year (only 9 tables total). As they say, the luck of the draw?




I think everyone had a good time. I hope to participate next year. Judith and Hugh can be at the same table again with me. They were both pretty much on target. The biggest problem was that a lot of the level 3 words being thrown out there were like German or Italian or some other origin that with a slight mispronounciation can cause a decent speller to become a poor speller in a heartbeat.

This was a successful night for the Anderson County Library in conjunction with Anderson University raising money for the Storyteller's Festival which is held in October for rural students in our county. With all the sponsored tables and the guests and other donations, I heard that they raised $8750 (only about $7000 last year), so I would say it was a very successful event. Way to go all participants of the 9th Annual Starburst Spelling Bee. E :)