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The Delta Zeta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International conducted the 14th Annual Community Spelling Bee on March 6, 2025. This year, the Bee took place at a new venue: Duck Woods Country Club, where presenting the contestants a delectable dinner made their entries into this spelling challenge even more enjoyable.

The DKG Society promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education, and has hosted the Spelling Bee for many years. Delta Zeta members who oversaw the direction of the Spelling Bee were Shannon Brinkley, Katie Blanchard, Laura Daniels and Laura Piland, who had spent many months in the planning and setup of the many details they carried out for the benefit of all.

The Bee winners this year were the Spellunkers, who beat out the other 19 teams in the competition for the trophy. Emily Ausband, Thad Ausband and Jenny Weaver incomparably spelled these “unspellable” words and went on to win again, as they had done previously in 2018, and last year, in 2024. Watching them work together to spell words correctly was a sight to see! The Spirit Award, which goes to a team who shows exceptional comradery (and great costumes) went to the Bee Aggressive Cheer Squad, with Elizabeth Hudspeth, Cathy Baldwin, Liz McBain and Grier Twiddy as part of this impressive team.

Proceeds from this Spelling Bee go to the Jeannette Gard Memorial Scholarship Fund, earmarked for grants-in-aid to Dare County High School Seniors choosing to major in education, to Delta Zeta members pursuing continuing education, and to the Dare Education Foundation.

The local chapter noted it was very much impressed by the number of teams that represented the schools and community: OBX Hospital – Outer Banks Health; NCRSP – The Fruitys; Bee Aggressive Cheer Squad; MMS – Bee-Lievers; MES – Spelling Sharks; Identify Yourself – Spellunkers; Dare County Library – The Syllable Slayers; FFMS PTO – The Beauty School Dropouts; FFMS – Highway to Spell; DEF Stingers; The Birds and the B; Ferguson Enterprises – Spell on Wheels;  KHES PTO – Beech Hair, Don’t Care; KHES PTO – Buzz Bees; KHES PTO – Hopeful Hornets; Board of Education – The Rizzly Bears; FFHS PTO – the Fumble Bees; FFHS Teachers; The Punkuators; and SECU Wannabees.

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