The Boox Toar Staph Suffer a Sudden Death at Glen Ellyn's Spellapalooza

Pictured here is The Bookstore's Spellapalooza team "Boox Toar Staph" consisting of Julia Berg (Glenbard West teen employee), Sue Kowalski and Margie White, standing next to the vexing two minute timer after their sudden death loss in the final round of the village spelling bee.

Spellapalooza is an annual benefit for the Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center, which provides literacy and life skill assistance to children living in low-income households in Glen Ellyn. More than half of the students served are refugees, representing families from 14 different countries in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Funds raised at the event will be used to support the Center's after-school and summer literacy programs.

It's a cause that's worth embarrassing yourself for. At first, we entered the spelling bee with the humble wish that we wouldn't be the first team eliminated. Then, as we proceeded beyond the first and second round and into the third, our adrenaline started to surge and we realized we really wanted to win!

Sometimes it's luck and sometimes it's skill, but in the end we found ourselves in the sudden death finals pitted against last year's Co-winners, "Spellin' for Ellen," consisting of Heidi Hann, Diana Visco and Gail Minkus. In a new twist this year, each final team was given two minutes to spell as many words correctly as possible. The Boox Toar Staph won the coin toss and chose to go second, but that still didn't help. We missed the first three words, and after that, we were crazy with stress and the ticking of the timer. Our final word was "formaldehyde," which we'll always remember is spelled with an "e."

Our congratulations and admiration goes to "Spellin' for Ellen," who have some really stellar spelling skills! Our special thanks goes to team member Julia Berg, our spokesperson at the microphone who showed great poise and calm under pressure. Thanks also to all of our supporters and cheerleaders, especially Jenny Fisher who cheered us on with party horns and customized Bookstore cookies. (The best part of Spellapalooza is the Team Spirit Award, which encourages crazy costumes and cowbells in the audience.)

I'm already looking forward to next year!