2011 HACM Spelling Bee

Eleventh Annual HACM Spelling Bee
2011 HACM Spelling Bee

HOUSING AUTHORITY HELPS YOUTH “BEE ALL THEY CAN BEE”

Competition was fierce during the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM)’s 11th Annual Spelling Bee, held Thursday, October 27th at the Hillside Family Resource Center. With the theme “Bee All You Can Bee,” the event provided fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth graders the opportunity to demonstrate their spelling abilities, win prizes and claim the 1st place title.

In the weeks leading up to the competition, youth worked with staff of the Housing Authority and community partners like the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center and the Pieper-Hillside Boys & Girls Club to hone their spelling skills.

“The Spelling Bee is the goal, but so much of the value of this event comes beforehand when the kids are studying the words and learning the value of education and discipline,” said Darrell Finch, HACM Education Specialist and organizer of the event.

Radio personality Earl Ingram served as pronouncer and the judges were Milwaukee Urban League President & CEO Ralph Hollmon, HACM Commissioner Sherri Daniels, and HACM Senior Asset Manager Beverly Johnson.

The Spelling Bee is one activity of the Housing Authority’s Education Initiative, which seeks to keep kids in school and help increase their achievement. The Initiative was started in 2005 by HACM Secretary-Executive Director Tony Perez with support of the HACM Board of Commissioners in response to low attendance rates and test scores among students throughout Milwaukee. The Initiative currently works with over 360 youth in 127 families to provide them with additional support to keep them engaged in the educational system. Since the program’s beginning, no participants have dropped out of school and the graduation rate has increased, with more students going on to college.

Winners of the Spelling Bee were: 5th grade - Darlene Twitty (1st), Lowese Riggins (2nd) and Pele Salinas (3rd); 6th grade – Bandun Robinson (1st), Luis Candelaria (2nd) and Dahlon Hall (3rd); 7th grade – Jessica Anderson (1st), Lynia Anderson (2nd) and Demonta Leflore (3rd); and 8th grade – Abena May (1st) and Robert Anderson (2nd).

The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee is an equal opportunity housing provider and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, handicap, lawful source of income, marital status, family status or sexual orientation.