For the past several years a team from Tyler Pipe in Tyler, Texas participates in the Annual Spelling Bee (the "Bee") sponsored by the Literacy Council of Tyler ("LCOT").  The Bee is a major fundraiser for the LCOT, and it includes a luncheon, silent auction, fun-spirited team spelling competition, spirit contest and costume contest. LCOT is a great organization that offers free services to adults seeking to improve reading, writing, and/or math skills, prepare for GED testing, or learn English as a second language.  Last year, LCOT averaged spending $500 per student who sought its services, the council officials said.

This year the team of Tony Orlowski, Jennifer Wickliffe, and Jennie Shephard represented Tyler Pipe.  Just to give you an idea of how hard this event really is, the winning words in the ninth round were a one-two combination of "Galjoen", a marine fish only found in South Africa, and "philippic" which is discourse or speech containing bitter denunciations.  One man in the audience shook his head and said, "Where do people use these words?  I've never even heard of some of these."

Sitting down, from left to right:  Jennifer Wickliffe, Danna Pruitt, Joice Arthur,
Gwen Jackson and Jeff Booth

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