Rotarians are know for helping out, but they were aced by “accommodate” and team members Samina Cabral, Cindi Mathieu and Elias Valdes of the Santa Paula Rotary Club Team went out quietly... well, least Cabral and Mathieu did.No one but no one could come to the aid of the Santa Paula Elementary School District Team of Robin Holcombe, Tricia Purcell and Julian Quintero when they missed “aidant” and became the fourth team eliminated.The charms of the mighty Santa Paula Times Team - Peggy Kelly, Marianne Ratcliff and BCL Trustee Suzi Skutley - stumbled on “effervescible,” but it was the surname origin defining “patronymic” -whomever has used this word in conversation please contact this newspaper - that wiped their names off this year’s award.The victors - Kent and Kelsey Hollenback and Castaneda - showed that “ignominious” can be a good thing, especially when it is spelled correctly, and the team emerged as the champions for the second year in a row.Johnson announced a new tradition, more than fitting for the winning Hollenback Family Dentistry Team. From now on a plaque will be awarded to the top spellers for them to keep, while their names will also be inscribed on the “perpetual” annual Spelling Bee Championship trophy.
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Back row are: Don Johnson (Santa Paula Times), Spelling Bee winners, Kelsey Hollenback, Dr. Kent Hollenback, Dr. Catarina Castaneda. Front row: Kathryn Bornhauser (FLAIR), Bee Zakhar Gazizov, Spelling Bee pronouncer Leslie Nichols. (Photo by Debbie Johnson) |
Spelling Bee Champions: Hollenback Family Dentistry
June 04, 2008
Hollenback Family Dentistry wins SP Times Spelling Bee back to back!
Santa Paula News
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula TimesHollenback Family Dentistry - Kent Hollenback DDS, Kelsey Hollenback and Dr. Catarina Castaneda - extracted another win and showed that “Ignominious” can be a good thing at the 19th Annual Santa Paula Times Executive Spelling Bee for FLAIR (Family Literacy Aid in Reading). The highly contested Bee was held May 28 at First United Methodist Church’s Wesley Hall, where contestants and supporters took part in a silent auction, Cake Walks, opportunity drawings and Lucky Eggs.“That cheesecake should not leave the building for less than $100!’ cried FLAIR Executive Coordinator Kathryn Bornhauser as a bidding war between City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz and Star Opinion Editor Marianne Ratcliff over a Debbie Johnson cheesecake reached a fevered pencil point pitch. Bobkiewicz ultimately won the prized cheesecake at the bargain basement price of $135.Although unable to attend the Bee, Bornhauser said that Elaine Hunt - who led FLAIR for years - continues to deserve credit for the success of the program that offers literacy programs at Blanchard Community Library for individuals as well as whole families.Spellers were soothed by pre-Bee musical entertainment offered by Xavier “Big X” Montes and Barry Cooper, and then Master of Ceremonies Don Johnson, editor/publisher of the Santa Paula Times, took to the stage to explain the rules of the spelling game. Johnson introduced VIP - Very Important Pronouncer - Santa Paula Theater Center Board President Leslie Nichols, whose perfect way with words and soothing voice helped the players as they strived to spell contest words, even those never heard of before.Bee Zakhar Gazizov was kept busy as a - well, you know - bee with the gavel, as Judges Chamber of Commerce President/CEO John Blanchard and BCL Trustee Brenda de Jamaer listened carefully as each team was put to the spelling test.The Kiwanis Club Team of Frida Friend, Pam Strange and Barbara Suggs were indeed friendly comforting types, but they were felled by “folksiness” and became the first team out.Although City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz, Human Resources Director Kathy Campbell and Police Chief Steve MacKinnon - AKA The City Management Team - were certainly an interesting bunch, “eclectic” proved to be their exit.
