2018 Washington Informer Spelling Bee Supplement

36TH ANNUAL WASHINGTON INFORMER

SPELLING SUPPLEMENT BEE

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER HISTORY OF THE CITY-WIDE SPELLING BEE The Washington Informer began sponsoring the D.C. Wide Spelling Bee during the 1981-82 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.

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 in nearly 200 D.C. schools, including private, parochial, independent, charter and home-schools, participate in The Washington Informer City-Wide Spelling Bee. For the past 35 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.”

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 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

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5 NBC 4 Anchors Molette Green and Leon Harris interview winner Simon Kirschenbaum and Runner up Joe Finkelstein in the studio after the bee. The interview will be part of the telecast on NBC 4 on April 8th at noon. /Photo by Roy Lewis

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MEET OUR WINNERS

5 (From left) First Place winner Simon Kirschenbaum, along with Robert Foster and Noah Dooley, who tied for Third Place, and Second Place winner Joe Finklestein display their trophies provided by Champion Throphy, a long-time supporter of The Washington Informer Spelling Bee. /Photo by Roy Lewis

THE MALPRACTICE LAW FIRM JACK H. OLENDER & ASSOCIATES, P.C.

Congratulates First Place Simon Kirschenbaum Deal Middle School, 7th Grade Second Place Joe Finkelstein Deal Middle School, 6th Grade

Third Place (Tie) Robert Foster National Presbyterian School, 6th Grade Noah Dooley St. Augustine Catholic School, 7th Grade

And all of the 36th Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee Participants 888 17th St., N.W., 4th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20006 www.olender.com (202) 879-7777 FAX (202) 393-224 5 Every speller received a trophy and gift bags courtesy of The Washington Infomer, Washington Informer Charities and the sponsors. /Photo by Roy Lewis

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36TH ANNUAL W.I. SPELLING BEE SUPPLEMENT APRIL 5, 2018

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ENERGY ANSWERS TO HELP DREAMS COME TRUE.

WGL is the preferred source for clean and efficient energy solutions across the nation.

We also know that our children should have the best possible education. That doesn’t just happen. WGL is proud to work with public officials, business leaders and local organizations to help our children achieve. We are proud to participate as a sponsor for The 36th Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee. To learn more about how WGL is helping create a healthier, more vibrant community, visit WGL.com.

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PRIZE TABLE Prizes including trophies, provided

by Champion Trophy, and gift bags, provided by the Washington Nationals, are a highlight for each spelling bee finalist. / Photo by Roy Lewis

JOIN US AT NATIONALS PARK Saturday, April 14, 2018 1:05 PM The Washington Nationals are proud to host all of the spellers and recognize the top finalists from the 36th 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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THE AWARD WINNING AFRICAN AMERICAN NEWSPAPER

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.

2018 SPELLING BEE SPONSORS AND PARTNERS AltaGas Champion Trophy Comcast / XFINITY DC Public Schools The Foundation for the Advancement of Music & Education Inc. (FAME) Giant Food Jack H Olender and Associates NBC4 Pepco Safeway Foundation Sign-a-Rama Silver Springs Southwest Air Toyota Washington Nationals WGL 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 202-888-6835 rburke@washingtoninformer.com

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2018 PRIZE LIST First Place Winner: • First Place Trophy – courtesy by Champion Trophy • Four Tickets anywhere Southwest Airlines flies –

courtesy of Southwest Air • Check for $1000 – courtesy of Jack H. Olender and Associates • 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 • Washington Informer gift bag Second Place Winner: • Second Place Trophy – courtesy of Champion Trophy • 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 • 2018 Pin from The Cherry Blossom Festival • Washington Nationals tickets • Giant gift card • Washington Informer gift bag with assorted items from sponsors

The Washington Informer 3117 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE Washington DC 20032 202-888-6835 rburke@washingtoninformer.com

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pepco.com

ENERGIZED BY THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST. As a proud sponsor of the 36th Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee, we salute this year’s contestants for a commitment to excellence that energizes us all. © Pepco, 2017

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2018 WASHINGTON INFORMER SPELLING BEE

5 Parents, siblings and others watch the competition in the NBC 4 studios in Northwest. / Photo by Roy Lewis

5 Teddy Palmore is in deep though as he prepares to spell his word. /Photo by Roy Lewis

Education

Education 4 Spells Success!

Success

Success Education Success

Success

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Education

is proud to support Education The Washington Informer Spelling Bee

Success

Success

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Assata Schroeter confidently spells her word.

2 Noah Dooley uses his fingers to help

spell his word.

3 NBC 4 Producer Donna Weston, left, and Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes give instructions and words of encouragement to the spellers before the competition begins.

4 The spellers take a peek at the Meet the Press studio as they line up to be seated on the stage.

5 Jami George listens for her word.

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Photos by Roy Lewis

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36TH ANNUAL W.I. SPELLING BEE SUPPLEMENT APRIL 5, 2018

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DEAL MIDDLE SCHOOL BOASTS DISTRICT’S TOP SPELLERS Simon Kirschenbaum Heads to National Bee in May

By Sarafina Wright WI Staff Writer A dynamic duo from Deal Middle School faced off at the Washington Informer’s 36th Annual Spelling Bee where only one claimed the crown to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May. Thirty contestants competed during the taped competition on Saturday, March 17 for approximately 25 rounds at NBC 4 studios in Northwest.

Simon Kirschenbaum, a 7th grader at Deal Middle School in Northwest, spelled the winning word “myocardiograph” with ease, making him the spelling bee champion of the District. Simon’s classmate and friend Joe Finkelstein came in second place.

“I feel good; I don’t know how I did this,” Simon said. “I barely studied at all. I studied maybe an hour last night and an hour today.”

Simon expressed the belief that he has a gift where he doesn’t have to put too much effort into spelling words correctly.

“Ever since at least the second or third grade, I’ve been doing really well in spelling bees; I think I won for the first time when I was in the fourth grade,” he said. “I just sound them [the words] out in my head, think about it and it comes naturally. English is a more complicated language than Spanish- and Latin- based words that are easier to sound out.

Simon says he’s already begun increasing his study time in preparation for the national bee scheduled from May 29 – 31 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. “My piece of advice for someone who wants to be a spelling bee champion is learn about spelling conventions, foreign languages like Latin and also focus on things that make you uncomfortable so you can do your very best,” he added.

Second-place winner Joe promised that he’ll be back to compete again in the future, adding that he’s still proud of his performance this year.

Michelle Buzgon, Simon’s mother, said she couldn’t be more proud of her son’s achievement. “Simon has always had a knack for decoding and remembering words, and a love for reading fiction and non-fiction,” she said.

And, as the saying goes, “Mother Knows Best,” which is why Buzgon went on to describe Simon’s study techniques. “He spends every Monday he can at Scrabble club; hecontinually wows me as he comes up with answers for New York Times crossword puzzles; and he is always playing with, manipulating and finding patterns in words. So while there is some luck of the draw involved in any spelling bee,” she said, Spelling Bee continued on Page S-11

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5 Simon Kirschenbaum raises his arms in victory after being declared the winner. /Photo by Roy Lewis

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Spelling Bee from Page S-10 “I absolutely am proud that he brought his love of words to the bee yesterday and that it made him a winner.”

“I’m feeling really happy about this,” he said. “I’m happy that Simon is the one that got first. It’s really nerve wrecking in the beginning, then it mellows out and then it gets hard again, I’m still in shock.”

Simon, because of his victory, walked away with a handful of gifts courtesy of generous sponsors for the event including four round-trip tickets from Southwest Airlines, a check for $1,000 sponsored by Jack H. Olender and Associates, a Giant grocery store gift card and a Washington Informer gift bag.

Joe along with both Noah Dooley and Robert Foster who tied for third place, received cash prizes and tickets for an upcoming Washington Nationals game.

“I’m a big Nats fan,” Simon said. “I try to go to a game twice a year and I try to watch them on TV as much as I can. This is great!”

Denise Rolark Barnes, publisher of the Washington Informer, said she’s pleased to be able to keep the D.C. spelling bee alive and well for yet another year.

“I started working with my dad at the Washington Informer when I was 9, writing stories, making deposits in banks and securing advertisements,” she said. “I’m very honored to be here to support the bee and there is a history behind that. We’ve sort of been pioneers in the Black Press for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.”

The Washington Informer began sponsoring the District-wide spelling bee during the 1981-82 school year after the close and sale of The Washington Daily News left the event without a sponsor.

Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr., founder of The Washington Informer, eventually received a request for his weekly publication to take over as the sponsor of the bee to which he agreed, quickly enlisting the aid of his daughter, Denise Rolark Barnes, then managing editor.

The first city-wide selling bee took place at Backus Junior High School in March 1982.

Sixth grader John Krattenmaker, who attended Mann Elementary School in Northwest, won the competition but personal challenges made it impossible for him to compete in the National Spelling Bee – something that Dr. Rolark did not know.

The newspaper did not publish on a daily basis which Scripps, at that time, required of its sponsors for the spelling bee. In response, Dr. Rolark, along with his wife and legal counsel, Wilhelmina Rolark, threatened Scripps with an injunction alleging discrimination because of rules that disproportionately affected African-American students. Scripps would soon thereafter revise their rules.

Ron Burke, advertising and marketing director for the newspaper, called each of the participants “winners” – further proving his point by giving them all tickets to a future Washington Nationals baseball game courtesy of the organization.

Other sponsors included: NBC 4, Washington Informer Charities, Toyota, Safeway Foundation, Alta Gas, Xfinity, Silver Spring Signarama Champion Award Trophies and Goods, Merriam-Webster, Comcast, District of Columbia Public Schools, Jack H. Olender & Associates, Foundation for the Advancement of Music and Education, Giant, Pepco, National Spelling Bee, Southwest Airlines and WGL. “We’re happy to sponsor this spelling bee; we do this every year because we absolutely love working with the children and the community,” Burke said. “Dr. Rolark said you will never make it in this world if you don’t know how to read, and you’ll never know how to read if you don’t know how to spell.” WI 5 From left, Apera Nwora from AltaGas, First Place winner Simon Kirschenbaum, Robert Foster (tied for third), Pronouncer Dave Zahren, Noah Dooley (tied for third), Second place Joe Finklestein, and Tracye Funn from Washington Gas are all smiles after a very competitive spelling bee. /Photo by Roy Lewis 3 NBC 4 Anchors Molette Green and Leon Harris interview winner Simon Kirschenbaum and Runner up Joe Finkelstein in the studio after the bee. The interview will be part of the telecast on NBC 4 on April 8th at noon. /Photo by Roy Lewis

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36TH ANNUAL W.I. SPELLING BEE SUPPLEMENT APRIL 5, 2018

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proud to sponsor the

WASHINGTON INFORMER SPELLING BEE

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MEET THE 2018 SPELLERS Photos by Roy Lewis

#1 William Zaharia-Stremtan School Without Walls At Francis Stevens 8th Grade

#2 Will McAllister National Presbyterian School 3rd Grade

#3 Teddy Palmore St. Alban’s School For Boys 7th Grade

#4 Tatia Jahan School Without Walls At Francis Stevens 8th Grade

#5 Sydny Horge Takoma Education Campus 7th Grade

#6 Simon Kirschenbaum Deal Middle School 7th Grade

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#7 Rose Huggins Murch Elementary School 5th Grade

#8 Robert Foster National Presbyterian School 6th Grade #9 Noah Dooley St. Augustine Catholic School 7th Grade

#10 NaQuan Shepherd Patterson Elementary School 4th Grade

#11 Matthew Weitzner Janney Elementary School 5th Grade

#12 Marie-Celeste Pessey Stoddert Elementary School 4th Grade

36TH ANNUAL W.I. SPELLING BEE SUPPLEMENT APRIL 5, 2018

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Southwest Airlines® is dedicated to your community.

Our mission is to make the connections that empower communities to thrive.

Through our meaningful relationships, we proudly support your efforts in the many communities we call home. Whether in the air or the ground, we believe community is more than a place – it’s at the Heart of what brings us together.

Southwest® is the official airline of the Washington Informer Charities and proud supporter of the Washington Informer Spelling Bees.

©2018 Southwest Airlines Co.

Karen Price-Ward 22-year Southwest Employee

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MEET THE 2018 SPELLERS Photos by Roy Lewis

#13 Maia Riggs Murch Elementary School 5th Grade

#20 Grace Thornton Eaton Elementary School 5th Grade

#14 Keegan Curran Holy Trinity School 7th Grade

#21 Feven Tadele St. Augustine Catholic School 6th Grade

#15 Julien Click Maury Elementary School 4th Grade

#23 Chidiire Nwokwu Whittier EC 5th Grade

#17 Joe Finkelstein Deal Middle School 6th Grade

#24 Camille Benedict Maury Elementary School 5th Grade

#18 Jessie Moss Lafayette ES 4th Grade

#25 Basil Elsner Eaton Elementary School 5th Grade

#19 Jami George Eaton Elementary School 4th Grade

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#26 Assata Schroeter Capital City Middle School PCS 6th Grade

36TH ANNUAL W.I. SPELLING BEE SUPPLEMENT APRIL 5, 2018

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A celebration of excellence.

Tonight, a spotlight shines brightly upon the power of education. Toyota is proud to support the 36th Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee. We salute the students who innovate, elevate and captivate. Through your hard work and dedication, you’re changing the world one word at a time.

©2018 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

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MEET THE 2016 SPELLERS Photos by Roy Lewis

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#27 Alvyaa Asad Garrison Elementary School 3rd Grade

#29 Alberto Ramirez Garrison Elementary School 4th Grade

#28 Alexander Williams Watkins Elementary School Capitol Hill Cluster 5th Grade

#30 AaViahn Wood Roots PCS 5th Grade

36TH ANNUAL W.I. SPELLING BEE SUPPLEMENT APRIL 5, 2018

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MEET OUR PRONOUNCER Mr. David Zahren is currently a television instructional specialist with the Prince George’s County Public Schools’ Department of Television Resources and Web Services. This is his 44th year with PGCPS. Over the past thirty plus years, Mr. Zahren has written, produced, and hosted four award-winning science programs that have aired on cable television: “Give Science A Hand,” a hands-on approach to science aimed at elementary school students; “Science Bowl,” an interscholastic science game show; “Under the Microscope,” a series of staff development programs for elementary teachers that also airs nationwide on PBS stations, and a new series, “Anatomy of a Lesson.”

Mr. Zahren is a cum laude graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh and has a master’s degree in school administration and human relations from George Washington University. In 1985, after a teaching career that had spanned fourteen years, including three years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nairobi, Kenya, Mr. Zahren was selected as Maryland’s Teacher in Space candidate. He was one of 100 teachers chosen from the 40,000 applicants nationwide to vie for a flight aboard the space shuttle Challenger.

Mr. Zahren has received a number of awards, including the CINE Golden Eagle, for his work as a science teacher, a television host and producer, and a space educator. He continues to produce and host public television programs with the Department of Television Resources and Web Services in Prince George’s County and is in his 15th year as host for “It’s Academic,” a high school quiz program that airs on WJZ-TV, the CBS affiliate in Baltimore. He has recently retired from Washington’s WJLA-ABC 7/News Channel 8 after working 25 years as a part-time weather forecaster.

MEET OUR JUDGES

3 Starting from the left Judges Bernardine Connelly-Clark, Dr Elizabeth Primas, Emily Hammett, Jason Moore, and Consoler Elizabeth Baird-Thompson. / Photo by Roy Lewis 6 Mary Davis was the challenge judge for the competition, in case there were any parent challenges. / Photo by Roy Lewis

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ADVANCING BRIGHT FUTURES IS NOT JUST OUR COMMITMENT; IT’S WHAT WE VALUE. AltaGas is a proud partner of the 2018 Washington, D.C. Spelling Bee presented by The Washington Informer

At AltaGas we strive to enhance the communities where we live, work, and do business. The investments that that we make in communities and the lives of the people we serve is the foundation of who we are. To learn more about our proposed combination with Washington Gas, please visit wgldeliveringmore.com.

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36TH ANNUAL W.I. SPELLING BEE SUPPLEMENT APRIL 5, 2018

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The Award Winning African American Newspaper Celebrating Our 53rd Year of Service

The Washington Informer and Washington Informer Charities Congratulate our 36th Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee Winner!

First Place Simon Kirschenbaum Deal Middle School, 7th Grade

The Bee will air on NBC 4 on Sunday April 8, 2018 at noon

We celebrate all of our finalists and everyone who helped make our 36th Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee a huge success.

Thank You to our 2018 Partners

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