2015 Spelling Bee Supplement

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THE WASHINGTON INFORMER HISTORY

OF THE CITY-WIDE SPELLING BEE

The Washington Informer began sponsoring the D.C. Wide Spelling Bee during the 198182 school years. The late Dr. Mary E. White, supervising director, D.C. Public Schools Division of Instructional Services, Department of English, sought participation for D.C. Public Schools students in the Scripps National Spelling Bee held annually in Washington, D.C. Many years prior, The Washington Daily News sponsored the local spelling bee.

Subsequently, The Washington Star purchased the Daily News, and ceased sponsorship of the spelling bee. For more than 15 years, District of Columbia public, private and parochial school students could not participate in the national competition for lack of a sponsoring newspaper.

Dr. White solicited support from the Washington Post, hopeful that the publisher would agree to become the District’s official sponsor. According to Dr. White, Post officials told her that since the daily newspaper was a regional publication; their sponsorship would have to include not only the District of Columbia, but suburban Maryland and Virginia, as well.

However, at that time, the Journal newspaper chain had served as the suburban sponsor for several years, resulting in the Post’s refusal to sponsor the bee solely for students enrolled in District schools.

Dr. White then appealed to Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, a friend and supporter of the D.C. Public Schools, president and founder of the United Black Fund, Inc. and publisher of The Washington Informer newspaper, to exercise his influence over the Post officials and persuade them to agree to sponsor the spelling bee.

However, as publisher of a weekly newspaper, which served more than 25,000 readers in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, Dr. Rolark volunteered his publication to serve as the sponsor. With that, he brought in his daughter, Denise Rolark, managing editor of The Washington Informer, to assist in coordinating the District’s first spelling bee along with Dr. White and other D.C. Public Schools officials.

The first city-wide spelling bee was held at Backus Junior High School in March, 1982.

The winner was a sixth grade student, John Krattenmaker, who attended Mann Elementary School. Unbeknownst to Dr. Rolark, John was

Aisha Karimah will be retiring soon after 41 years at NBC Washington. Denise Rolark Barnes, publisher and Ron Burke, advertising manager, present Karimah with a gift in honor of the 32 years she has supported the Washington Informer Spelling Bee. / Photos by Shevry Lassiter

not permitted to participate in the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee held the following May because The Washington Informer was not a daily newspaper, a requirement of the Scripps National Spelling.

Dr. Rolark, who was a member of the board of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a trade organization of nearly 200 African American-owned newspapers across the country, concluded that the national spelling bee was maintaining an inherently discriminatory policy that prohibited African American newspapers from participating in the National Spelling Bee since there are no African American-owned daily newspapers in the U.S. In urban school districts, where the majority of the student population is African American, students who might otherwise be eligible to participate in the spelling bee would be precluded from doing so if the white-owned daily newspaper elected not to sponsor the local bee.

Dr. Rolark called in his legal counsel and wife, Wilhelmina J. Rolark, who threatened Scripps with an injunction that would forbid the national competition to take place in the District of Columbia until the court ruled on the merits of the case alleging discrimination.

Scripps complied, and changed its rules to allow weekly newspaper sponsorship in the national competition. That year, the Loudon County Times, a weekly newspaper based in Loudon County, Virginia and the only other weekly newspaper to participate along with the Informer in the national spelling bee that year, produced the national spelling bee winner.

Each year, more than 2,000 students enrolled

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in nearly 200 D.C. schools participate in The Washington Informer City-Wide Spelling Bee. For the past 32 years, the City-Wide Spelling Bee has been held at the studios of NBC4, where it is taped and later aired for general viewership throughout the Washington metropolitan area.

PURPOSE

Scripps, a diversified multi-media company, established the National Spelling Bee to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabulary, learn concepts, and develop correct English that will help them all their lives.

Spellers experience the satisfaction of learning language not only for the sake of correct spelling but also for the sake of cultural and intellectual literacy.

The Washington Informer’s participation in Scripps National Spelling Bee helps to further the goals of Scripps in the District of Columbia and to address the issue of illiteracy, particularly among African American youth. “If we want to improve the quality of life for all Americans,” said the late Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, publisher, “then we must begin by teaching our children to read, which they will not be able to achieve until they can learn to spell.”

FIRST PLACE Julia Weinrod Horace Mann Elementary School 5th Grade

/Photos by Roy Lewis

SECOND PLACE William Cho St. Albans School 7th Grade

/Photos by Shevry Lassiter

/Photo by Shevry Lassiter Attorney Jack Olender (center) receives a bee in appreciation of the cash prizes he awards to the Washington Informer Spelling Bee top winners for their success. For nearly a decade, Olender, a celebrated medical malpractice attorney, hosts a reception in his downtown office for the spellers and their parents and offers words of encouragement for their continued success. He is joined by Ron Burke and Denise Rolark Barnes of The Washington Informer.

33RD ANNUAL WASHINGTON INFORMER SPELLING BEE WINNERS

THE MALPRACTICE LAW FIRM

THIRD PLACE

Jack H. Olender

Perrin Brady Washington Latin School 7th Grade

& ASSOCIATES, P.C. Congratulations to Winners

Margaret Isacson Oyster-Adams Bilingual School 5th Grade

First Place Winner

JULIA WEINROD Second Place Winner

WILLIAM CHO Third Place Winners

Salamin Nuhin Marie Reed Elementary School 5th Grade

PERRIN BRADY MARGARET ISACSON SALAMUN NUHIN ANDREW GONG WU and all the

Andrew Gong Wu St. Albans School 8th Grade

33 rd Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee Participants

Photos by Roy Lewis

888 17th St., N.W., 4th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20006 www.olender.com (202) 879-7777 FAX (202) 393-2245

33RD ANNUAL WASHINGTON INFORMER SPELLING BEE SUPPLEMENT MARCH 2015 SB-3

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Photos by Roy Lewis Trophies and backpacks full of prizes were presented to each of the 30 spellers that participated in the 33rd Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee on Saturday, March 14 at NBC4 Washington.

Tuli Bennett Bose, a student at School Without Walls and the 2012 Washington Informer Spelling Bee Bee champion, with Denise Rolark Barnes, publisher./Photo by Shevry Lassiter Photo by Shevry Lassiter

JOIN US AT NATIONALS PARK Saturday April 18, 2015 1:05 PM The Washington Nationals are proud to host all of the spellers and recognize the top finalists from the 33rd Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee. The top spellers will be honored at home plate before the game Please join us for a day of fun and fellowship at Nats Park Congratulations to all of the Washington Informer Spelling Bee participants

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T H E

A W A R D

We consider each and every finalist to be a winner, and our sponsors and partners have helped us to reward every one of them. We humbly ask that you support our sponsors,partners, and advertisers.

W I N N I N G

A F R I C A N

A M E R I C A N

N E W S P A P E R

2015 PRIZE LIST FIRST PLACE WINNER:

2015 Spelling Bee Sponsors and Partners

Amtrak Coca Cola Comcast Champion Trophy DC Public Schools DC Trust The Foundation for the Advancement of Music & Education Inc. (FAME) Giant Food Jack H Olender and Associates McMillon Communications NBC4 The Nielsen Company Pepco Southwest Airlines Washington Gas Washington Nationals Wells Fargo Lunch Provided by Dutch Mill Catering

• First Place Trophy – courtesy of Champion Trophy • Four Tickets anywhere Southwest Airlines flies – courtesy of Southwest Airlines • Check for $1000 – courtesy of Jack H. Olender and Associates • 1 hour session with Doris McMillon on e ffective public speaking • Hotel stay for the National Bee at The Gaylord – courtesy of The Washington Informer • Washington Nationals tickets • Invitation to be honored at Home Plate of a Nationals game and a meet and greet with a player and Screech.

• Giant gift card • Webster Collegiate Dictionary • Subscription to Britanica Online • 2015 US Mint Proof Set • Washington Informer gift bag

SECOND PLACE WINNER:

• Second Place Trophy – courtesy of Champion Trophy •Two Tickets anywhere Southwest Airlines flies – courtesy of Southwest Airlines • Check for $500 – courtesy of Jack H. Olender and Associates • Invitation to be honored at Home Plate of a Nationals game and a meet and greet with a player and Screech.

• Washington Nationals tickets • Giant gift card • Washington Informer gift bag

THIRD PLACE WINNER: • Third Place Trophy – courtesy of Champion Trophy • Check for $300 – courtesy of Jack H. Olender and Associates • Invitation to be honored at Home Plate of a Nationals game and a meet and greet with a player and Screech.

• Washington Nationals tickets Giant gift card • Washington Informer gift bag ALL OTHER FINALISTS:

• Finalist Trophy – courtesy of Champion Trophy • Washington Nationals tickets • Giant gift card • Washington Informer gift bag with assorted items from sponsors

Please feel free to contact The Washington Informer with any questions, concerns, suggestions for next year, or if you would like to personally thank any of our sponsors.

Denise Rolark Barnes, Publisher Ron Burke, Advertising and Marketing Director The Washington Informer

3117 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE Washington DC 20032

202-561-4100 FAX 202-574-3785 rburke@washingtoninformer.com SB-6 MARCH 2015 33RD ANNUAL WASHINGTON INFORMER SPELLING BEE SUPPLEMENT

The Washington Informer 3117 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE Washington DC 20032 202-561-4100 FAX 202-574-3785 rburke@washingtoninformer.com

THE WASHINGTON RD INFORMER 33 ANNUAL SPELLING BEE NIELSEN SALUTES THE WASHINGTON INFORMER AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER THE YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY. Congratulations to Julia Weinrod, William Cho, Perrin Brady, Margaret Isacson, Salamun Nuhin, and Andrew Gong Wu on your Spelling Bee win. You all are role models to your peers and make the community proud.

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Photo by Roy Lewis /Photo by Shevry Lassiter Parents play a crucial role in preparing their children for the spelling bee, and they end up being the shoulder spellers cry on when they receive that fatal word. (Top left) Salamin Nuhin, a 5th grader at Marie Reed Elementary School, gets help from his father before the spelling began. (Top right) Christian Marshall, a 5th grader at JC Nalle Elementary School in Southeast, gets a hug and words of assurance from his mother after misspelling a word during a round. Margaret Isacson, a 5th grader at Oyster-Adams Bilingual School in Northwest, said she admires her parents most because “they do a lot of things I can’t do” including helping her prepare for the spelling bee.

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proud sponsor of the

Washington Informer’s 33rd Annual Spelling Bee congratulations to this year’s winners

1 place

Julia Weinrod

2 place

William Cho

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Horace Mann Elementary • 5th grade

St. Albans School • 7th grade

Perrin Brady

Washington Latin School • 7th grade

3 place rd

4-way tie

Margaret Isacson

Oyster-Adams Bilingual School • 5th grade

Salamun Nuhin

Marie Reed Elementary School • 5th grade

Andrew Gong Wu

St. Albans School • 8th grade

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SPELLING BEE 2015 CHAMPION “EXCITED AND HAPPY”

By Racbel Sudduth WI Intern Midway into the fifth round of the 33rd Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee the student participants, ranging from ages 10 to 14, shuffled in silence while straightening out their yellow numbered identification tags that hung from their necks.

The students nervously waited to be called to the podium where they would be asked to spell a word, randomly chosen from the list held in front of the pronouncer, Doris McMillon.

Only a few students had been eliminated from the original 30 spellers. No one knew that participant #29, Julia Weinrod, an 11-year-old fifth grader from Horace Mann Elementary School, would be taking home the first place trophy.

Julia’s final and winning word was “kinara,” by definition, the candleholder used in Kwanzaa celebrations. While Julia wiped sweat from her brow and appeared to be flushed after hearing the word pronounced, she maintained her composure as she correctly spelled out “k-i-na-r-a.”

Julia ecstatically spoke about winning “I am excited and happy.” she said. “I relaxed the night before. If I didn’t know it by now, I just didn’t know.”

She said she struggled with the word “reflorescent” but spelled the word correctly.

Coincidently, the first place winner of the first annual spelling bee, John Krattenmaker, also attended Horace Mann Elementary School.

Julia’s parents, Violanda Botet and Bruce Weinrod, said they helped her prepare for the spelling bee, along with her teachers like Brigham Kilinger and her principal, Elizabeth Whisnant.

“We used a list of words to review and tips about different languages,” Julia’s father Weinrod said.

As the first place winner Julia received plenty of prizes: four tickers to anywhere on Southwest Airlines; a check for $1000; and a one-hour session with Doris McMillion on effective public speaking.

Runner-up William Cho and NBC4 Co-Hosts David Culver and Erika Gonzalez discussed William’s studying habits during the interview

after the spelling competition. William said, “I studied a lot.”

The seventh grader’s mother, Jihyan Lee, said William likes to read and write.

“He is good at spelling. He studies Korean, English and is learning Spanish and Chinese.”

Before the competition began on Saturday, March 14 at NBC4 in Northwest, the 30 contestants, parents and the audience listened as Aisha Karimah, director of community affairs at NBC4 Washington, informed them that this year’s spelling bee would be her last.

“This is my last year because I am retiring after 46 years at NBC4 – it’s been quite emotional,” she said.

Before exiting the stage she added, “Good luck and to God be the glory.”

The elementary and middle school contestants had to meet the following rules in order to qualify for the competition: no student could miss school in order to study for the spelling bee, students could not have repeated a grade in school; no student could have completed any achievement standardized test, like the PSAT or ACT. As the spelling bee continued, growing more intense with every round, students sailed through words like “pretzel” and “sushi” and gobbled down words like “burrito,” “tofu” and “macaroni.” However, they stumbled with those sometimes troubling homophones, confusing words like “spoor” with “spore” and “knack sack.”

Some students began studying months ago by pacing themselves three to four hours a day. Salamin Nuhin said he studied the origin of words.

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Andrew Gong Wu, an 8th grader at St. Albans School in Northwest, tackles a word from pronouncer Doris McMillan at the 33rd Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee. Wu was among 30 spellers from District-based public, private, parochial, charter and home-schools that participated on Saturday, March 14 at NBC4 Washington. / Photo by Shevry Lassiter “I used ‘How to Spell Like a Champion,’” the 11-year-old from Marie Reed Elementary School said.

Salamin uniquely used the palm of his hand to spell out challenging words with his finger to help aid his memory. He was also a first place winner of the Cluster Bee. Washington Gas sponsor Marcellous P. Fyre said the bee proved to be very exciting.

“It had me nervous,” he said. “For 12 year olds to go to the podium and remain so focused, I was very impressed. “The bee highlights the talents of the district.”

Coordinator Dr. Sharon Holmes said she has been a longtime supporter of the spelling bee.

“I was a volunteer before I was a judge and realized that the students’ studying skills were phenomenal.” Holmes said.

She noted that students are selected from spelling bees at their school, then continue on to the cluster bees. From there six students are selected from each bee to participate in the final bee. And there are bragging rights as well as some great prizes for the top winners.

Still, every participant left with something to help them remember their experience: Washington National tickets for a game at Nats Park on April 18 during which they CHAMPION Page SB-11

Washington Gas Vice President Marcellous Frye (left) and Regional Public Policy Manager Tracye Funn (right) congratulate Washington Informer Spelling Bee First Place Winner Julia Weinrod with her parents. Julia is a 5th grader at Horace Mann Elementary School in Northwest, and says spelling, science, history and math are her favorite subjects. Julia will represent the District in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May 24-29 at the Gaylord National Resort at National Harbor in Maryland.

NBC4 Washington anchors David Culver and Erika Gonzalez interview the 33rd Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee winners Julia Weinrod, 1st place winner, and William Cho, 2nd place winner, following the city-wide competition. The competition will be aired on NBC4 on Sunday, April 12 at 2PM.

1988 Spelling Bee winner Dr. Meta DuEwa congratulates spelling bee top winners Julia Weinrod, 1st place, and William Cho, 2nd place.

CHAMPION from Page SB-10 will be honored; a Giant gift

card; a finalist trophy and a Washington Informer gift bag.

The legacy and vision that the late Dr. Mary E. White had for students at DC Public Schools to increase and improve their literacy continues to live on as first place winners advance to the E.W. Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord Hotel, traditionally held during the Memorial Day Weekend.

The 34th Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee returns next year in March.

Sponsors and partners for this year’s spelling bee included: Amtrak, Coca Cola, Comcast, Champion Trophy, DC Public Schools, DC Trust, The Foundation for the Advancement of Music & Education [FAME], Giant Food, Jack H. Olender and Associates, McMillon Communications, NBC4, The Nielsen Company, Pepco, Southwest Airlines, Washington Gas, Washington Nationals, Wells Fargo and Dutch Mill Catering. SB

Wells Fargo was one of the sponsors and presented the First Place Trophy to Julia Weinrod. Shown from left are Bob Marshall, Maurice Steward and David White. / Photos by Shevry Lassiter 33RD ANNUAL WASHINGTON INFORMER SPELLING BEE SUPPLEMENT MARCH 2015 SB-11

Since 1999, DC Trust has invested over $100 million in high-outcome programs and youth development worker capacity building with measurable impact to unlock the intrinsic potential of every DC youth.

DC Trust is a proud supporter of the 33rd Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee

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WASHINGTON LATIN SCHOOL

EDDIE CAVALLIN

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HORACE MANN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 5TH GRADE

WILLIAM CHO ST. ALBANS SCHOOL 7TH GRADE

CHIOMA CHUKWURAH PAUL PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL 6TH GRADE

BENNETT CULLISON JOHN EATON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 5TH GRADE

RUBEN DASGUPTA JOHN EATON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 4TH GRADE CHLOE FATSIS DEAL MIDDLE SCHOOL 7TH GRADE

DONZELL GIBSON JR. J.C. NALLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 5TH GRADE

ANDREW GONG WU ST. ALBANS SCHOOL 8TH GRADE

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HARRISON “HARRY” HACKETT HYDE-ADDISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MARGARET ISACSON

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OYSTER-ADAMS BILINGUAL SCHOOL 5TH GRADE

JENNIFER LE CAPITAL CITY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL 6TH GRADE

DAMARIS MEDINA SCHOOL WITHOUT WALLS AT FRANCIS STEVENS 6TH GRADE

PETER MILIUS ALICE DEAL MIDDLE SCHOOL 6TH GRADE

CHRISTIAN MITCHELL J.C. NALLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 5TH GRADE

ZAHIR MUHAMMAD DC INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 7TH GRADE

SARAH MYERS HOLY TRINITY SCHOOL 7TH GRADE

SOPHIE MYERS HOLY TRINITY SCHOOL 7TH GRADE

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pepco.com

WE ARE DEFINED BY OUR

COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE. Congratulations to all of the participants in the 33rd Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee.

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ANNISSA RAYMOND PAUL PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL 8TH GRADE

SIDNEE SALTER PAUL PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL 8TH GRADE

NONIE D. SHUFORD WATKINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 5TH GRADE

SAMUEL TAUBMAN LAFAYETTE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 5TH GRADE

SEBASTIAN WAIZENEGGER JOHN EATON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 5TH GRADE

JULIA WEINROD HORACE MANN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 5TH GRADE

GEORGIANNA WILLIAMS OYSTER-ADAMS BILINGUAL SCHOOL 5TH GRADE

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Four students who tied for 3rd place in the Washington Informer Spelling Bee stand to be recognized following the hours long competition. They include Perrin Brady, 7th grader at Washington Latin School; Margaret Isacson, 5th grader at Oyster-Adams Bilingual School; Salamin Nuhin, 5th grader at Marie Reed ES; and Andrew Gong Wu, 8th grader at St. Albans School. / Photos by Shevry Lassiter

The 33rd Annual Wshington Informer Spelling Bee judges included: Dr. Elizabeth Primas, director of Literacy, Friendship Public Charter School; Dr. Sharon Holmes, reading interventions and acting principal at Simon Elementary School; Merita Carter, manager of counseling, DCPS; and James Rountree, director of science, DCPS. Dr. Holmes has served as the coordinator of the Washington Informer Spelling Bee for the past five years.

Doris McMillan, spelling bee pronouncer, Dr. Sharon Holmes, spelling bee coordinate, and Denise Rolark Barnes, publisher of The Washington Informer.

Origin of the Term “Spelling Bee�

The word bee, as used in spelling bee, is one of those language puzzles that has never been satisfactorily accounted for. A fairly old and widely-used word, it refers to a community social gathering at which friends and neighbors join together in a single activity (sewing, quilting, barn raising, etc.) usually to help one person or family.

The earliest known example in print is a spinning bee, in 1769. Other early occurrences are husking bee (1816), apple bee (1827), and logging bee (1836).

Spelling bee is apparently an American term. It first appeared in print in 1875, but it seems certain that the word was used orally for several years before that.

Those who used the word, including most early students of language, assumed that it was the same word as referred to the insect. They thought that this particular meaning had probably been inspired by the obvious similarity between these human gatherings and the industrious, social nature of a beehive. But in recent years scholars have rejected this explanation, suggesting instead that this bee is a completely different word.

One possibility is that it comes from the Middle English word bene, which means "a prayer" or "a favor" (and is related to the more familiar word boon). In England, a dialect form of this word, been or bean, referred to "voluntary help given by neighbors toward the accomplishment of a particular task." (Webster's Third New International Dictionary). Bee may simply be a shortened form of been, but no one is entirely certain.

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Tracye Funn, of Washington Gas, sits at the Meet the Press desk.

Marcellous Frye and his 12-year old daughter Martena enjoy the opportunity to pose in front of the desk where Chuck Todd interviews reporters and discusses national issues on Meet the Press The studio is also the location where the Washington Informer Spelling Bee has been held for the past 32 years./ Photos by Shevry Lassiter

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Southwest is the official airline of the Washington Informer Spelling Bee. Congratulations to First Place Winner - Julia Weinrod, Second Place Winner - William Cho, Third Place Winners (four way tie) - Perrin Brady, Margaret Isacson, Salamun Nuhin, Andrew Gong Wu.

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The Award Winning African American Newspaper Celebrating Our 50th Year of Service

The Washington Informer Congratulates our 33rd Annual Washington Informer

Spelling Bee

Winner!

We celebrate all of our finalists and everyone who helped make our 33rd Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee a huge success.

First Place Julia

The Bee will air on NBC 4 on Sunday April 12, 2015 at 2 PM

Weinrod

Horace Mann Elementary School 5th Grade

The Washington Informer Thanks all of our 2015 partners for making this year special

Young design

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