Welcome to the AARP Magazine National Spelling Bee website!
Register for The 2008 AARP Magazine National Spelling Bee (formerly known as the National Senior Spelling Bee) scheduled for June 13 and 14, 2008. The Bee will be held at the Little America Hotel and Resort in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Click here to see our poster!
Second place just won’t do
Spelling Bee open to anyone age 50+
What motivates a 58-year-old man to learn the contents of an entire dictionary? Winning.
Although he’s proud of his second-place finish last year, Randy Hilfman plans to do one better this time. The Seattle-area copy editor for Eddie Bauer wants to win AARP The Magazine’s National Spelling Bee June 14 in Cheyenne, Wyo.
He’s not alone in his quest for glory, but he doesn’t seem to mind having some competition.
“It was invigorating to be around so many people who loved words and the English language, and relished the opportunity to demonstrate their spelling skills,” Hilfman says. “It was exciting to compete on a national stage.”
Anyone age 50 or older (except previous winners) can compete.
The Bee was created in 1996 by a group of AARP members from Cheyenne who wanted a fun way to challenge their peers to keep their minds sharp as they age. It has grown over the years, welcoming spellers from nearly every state and Canada too.
While Hilfman and others study intensely, many spellers compete just for fun. Regardless of the motivation, Hilfman says studying for spelling bees offers long-term benefits.
“When preparing for them, you inevitably discover many other words you can incorporate in everyday conversation and in your e-mails, letters and other writing,” he says. “It’s an enjoyable, satisfying way to expand your vocabulary.”
Pam Leininger of Durango, Colo., plans to give Hilfman a run for his money. She will be a novice competitor, but also has been studying for about a year. “No matter how I do at the Bee, I want to say, ‘Thank you, AARP.’ You gave me a reason to challenge myself, and I’ve never felt more alive, smarter or younger!”
More than $1,000 in prizes is up for grabs, and the winner will be flown to New York City to appear on national television.
The 13th annual Bee will be held Saturday, June 14, 2008, at the Little America Hotel and Resort in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The hotel is offering discounted room rates and a free round of golf for spellers and those planning to watch the bee. Hotel reservations can be made by calling 1-800-445-6945. Other lodging options can be found through the Cheyenne Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at Cheyenne.org or by calling 1-800-426-5009.
Registration costs $25 per speller and can be done at aarp.org/SpellingBee or by calling the University of Wyoming Events Line at 1-877-733-3618. Family and friends are welcome to attend and cheer on the spellers (or “unofficially” test their own spelling skills from the audience).
More information, including study and travel tips and a video of the Bee, is available at aarp.org/SpellingBee.
Results from the 2007 Bee
BHARAL SPELLS VICTORY FOR WINNER OF NATIONAL SENIOR SPELLING BEE
After intense competition, Pacific University administrative assistant Susan Hartner Beat 44 Spellers Age 50 and Older from 24 States
CHEYENNE (JUNE 16, 2007) – In the end, it came down to goat vs. dog.
Susan Hartner, 62, had correctly spelled bharal, a goat-like mammal of the Himalayas, and she waited while finalist Randy Hilfman, 56, struggled with vizsla, a breed of Hungarian hunting dog.
When Hilfman missed it, and the bell sounded, Hartner looked surprised and said, “You mean I won?”
Now Hartner has all the bragging rights entitled to the winner of AARP's 2007 National Senior Spelling Bee held today in Cheyenne, Wyo.
“I was sort of stunned. I always anticipate winning because I'm competitive, but realistically I didn't think I would once I heard the words,” Hartner said.
The AARP National Senior Spelling Bee began in 1996 when six AARP members in Cheyenne decided they wanted a fun way to challenge their peers to keep their minds sharp in retirement. In the spirit of inclusiveness, they opened the competition to anyone age 50 or older in the country. At first, most of the competitors hailed from nearby locales, but over the years, the bee has evolved into a renowned national event drawing spellers from as far away as Florida and Alaska. This year marks the first international participant from Canada.
Although the reach of the AARP National Senior Spelling Bee has grown since its inception, the rigor of the word list has remained steady throughout the years.
“It's a tough competition,” AARP Wyoming Director Rita Inoway said. “The volunteers who put together the word list take their jobs seriously and each year it's been matched by the intensity the spellers bring to the bee.”
After 13 rounds, the field of finalists was narrowed to four: Michael Petrina Jr., of Arlington, Va.; Marlene Harry, of Brownsburg, Ind.; Hilfman, of Woodinville, Wash.; and Hartner, of Hillsboro, Ore.
Petrina won the spell-off for third place, leaving Hartner and Hilfman in the 15 th round to battle for the top spot. Hartner correctly spelled bharal, and Hilfman missed vizsla.
As the 2007 Champion of the AARP National Senior Spelling Bee, Hartner will travel to New York to appear live on the CBS Early Show Monday June 18, 2007.
The 2008 National Senior Spelling Bee is scheduled for June 14 in Cheyenne, Wyo. Additional information about the AARP National Senior Spelling Bee is available at www.SeniorSpellingBee.com or by calling 1-866-663-3290.
Click here to view the AARP National Spelling Bee video
(runs about 3 min)
Helpful Links
2008 Sponsors
- AARP Chapter 310
- Cheyenne State Bank
- Wyoming State Bank
- Cheyenne Women's Civic League
- Taco John's
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