With the hurricane well off to the East, all of Guilford breathed a sigh of relief on the morning of Saturday, September 16th - Fair Day! The weather turned out perfect for Guilford’s most anticipated day of the year with the Fair Parade and then onto the Fairgrounds to enjoy the fun, which has been a tradition since 1859. A part of the tradition that has become much celebrated and anticipated is the GFFE Kids’ Spelling Bee. The Kids’ Spelling Bee has taken place for over 40 years in some capacity, and has been organized and sponsored by varying groups. But in 2017, the Guilford Fund for Education (GFFE) took on these duties and the event has become a jewel under the Big Tent.
Bee winners Leena Petersen, Adelaide DeNoble, and Felix Petersen with host Jeff Hahn.
This year was also very special as our emcee, Jeff Hahn, who has been hosting the event for the last 28 years, is passing the torch. Jeff has been instrumental in keeping this amazing tradition going for all of the young spellers of Guilford through multiple venues and organizers. His energy, enthusiasm and encouragement has made the stage so special for the many students who have participated. His commitment to the Guilford community has been tremendous and we at GFFE are so thankful for all that he does for us (Jeff has promised to stick around a little longer to continue to emcee Bee Ball).
The Kids’ Spelling Bee showcases students who passed the preliminary rounds in their respective classrooms in the 3rd through 6th grades. A total of 44 students participated this year on the stage and competed to win the trophy. The competition was so good that Fair organizers were getting nervous that we were over our allotted time! The amazing students that won their grades were:
3rd Grade: Leena Petersen
4th Grade: Nicholas Gaudioso
5th Grade: Adelaide DeNoble
6th Grade: Felix Petersen
Congratulations to all of the students that participated - you made your families, schools, and town very proud!
For more photos of the event view our gallery.
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