"Bee" On Your Toes - Seniors Take Spelling Stage
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June 2, 2008
Durango, CO – An eighth-grader won this year's national spelling bee on a little-known word meaning 'a reward.' Now the over-50 set has their turn to shine. They will displaying rewards of a lifetime of learning at "AARP The Magazine's National Spelling Bee," scheduled for June 14 in Cheyenne, Wyo.
Pam Leininger, Durango, will be a first-time competitor, and she's taking the challenge seriously. She has been studying the dictionary for up to eight hours a day for the past year.
"You know, I've always considered myself a really good speller. I didn't realize that I wasn't as good as I thought I was until I started doing the dictionary and found so much there that fascinated me."
Steve Slon, the editor of AARP The Magazine, says while many think the spelling bee is an inspiration to keep aging minds sharp, it's really more about knowledge and experience.
"This is not just seniors trying to master a few words to keep from forgetting things. This is the opposite, if anything: It's showing off the power of the older brain, the wiser brain."
"AARP The Magazine's National Spelling Bee" is open to anyone age 50 and older. More than $1,000 in prizes is up for grabs, and the winner will be flown to New York to appear on national television.
Information is available online at www.aarp.org/spellingbee.