Monday, September 17, 2007

Santa Maria Library - Spellers Aid Literacy With Contest

Spellers Aid Literacy With ContestLompoc Record: 9.9.07 by Luis Ernesto Gomez

No eight letters had eased so much tension as the word "zeppelin" did Saturday when two members of the Santa Maria Breakfast Rotary Club snatched first place at the 15th Annual Adult Spelling Bee.

"We've never made it this far," said Mike Gibson, who had paired with Mike Tolbert for nearly 18 rounds. "We usually make it up to the third or fourth round."
The pair finished first over St. Joseph High School students Natalie Favorite and Bianca Davis, both 17 years old, in a six-round tie-breaker. Susan and Robert Rees of the Noontime Rotary Club of Santa Maria finished in third place.

Some 33 two-person teams squared off in the often frustrating competition, which raises thousands of dollars for the Central Coast Literacy Council and was sponsored by the Santa Maria Times. Proceeds pay for materials and programs aimed to improve the reading and writing skills of adults. READ ON

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