Spelling Bee
Test your spelling skills while supporting adult literacy!
The 33rd First Literacy Spelling Bee was a success! This year the event was held in person at the State Street Channel Center in Boston on Thursday, March 30. During the Spelling Bee swarms of spellers competed by spelling words that stumped even the savviest of spellers. Over $232,000 was raised to support adult literacy!
Congratulations to the team at Morgan Stanley/Eaton Vance … winners of the 2023 First Literacy Spelling Bee!
The 2023 First Literacy Spelling Bee Champions from Morgan Stanley/Eaton Vance. Elizabeth Champion, Kate Johnson and Miles Ferguson. Photo Credit: Greg Ciccarelli
Proceeds from the event support First Literacy’s work including: free professional development workshops for adult educators, scholarships for adult students attending college or vocational programs, and grants for innovative Adult Basic Education pilot programs.
Thank You to Our Host Committee
Lou Maiuri, Honorary Chair | State Street
Josh Binswanger
John Capone and Karime Abdel-Hay | KPMG
Robert Chesley | Citi
Debra Gould | Newmark
Eric Kayne | Morgan Stanley
Geraldine Lippman and Carlos Pinto |AST
Kevin McGovern | Deloitte
Ryan Murphy | UBS
Matthew Nichols | Franklin Templeton
Irene Speridakos | BNY Mellon.
Margarheeta Wise | MFS
Thank You to Our Bee Committee
Jeffrey Beale
Larry Fahey
Corey Groves | Co-Chair
Nilan Jasaysinghe | Co-Chair
Olga Kasparova
Jim Nolan | Board Chair
Julie Paris
If you missed the in-person event check out the round one pre-recorded video. Twenty-one teams battled it out in the first round of pre-recorded play leading up to the in person Spelling Bee. Four teams advanced to the championship round. The teams who did not advance to the finals participated in the lightning round during the in person event for a chance to take the wildcard spot in the championship round.
2023 SPONSORS TO DATE
- American Moving & Installation
- AST
- Brookline Bank
- Chris Walsh
- Crimson Lion Foundation
- Deloitte
- Fahey Family Charitable Fund
- First Literacy Associate Board
- FIS
- In honor of Karen Morrissey
- Jeffrey Beale
- John Hancock
- K&L Gates
- KPMG
- Liberty Mutual
- MFS Investment Management
- Michelle Gillespie Realtors
- Morrow Sodali Fund
- Newmark Group
- Open Eye
- Patti Quigley
- PEAK Event Services
- Point32Health
- Putnam Investments
- PwC
- Ropes & Gray
- Seyfarth
- UBS
SPONSOR LEVELS
Frederick Douglass – $50,000
- Verbal recognition during the event and prominent listing on event signage
- Two Bee teams of three individuals to compete
- Thirty Bee tickets
- Prominent listing on the First Literacy website, event emails, social media posts, press releases, and print advertising
- Logo or team name prominently featured in advertising and promotional materials
- Listing in our Annual Report
Ralph Waldo Emerson – $25,000
- Verbal recognition during the event and name listed on event signage
- One Bee Team of three individuals to compete
- Twenty Bee tickets
- Prominent listing on the First Literacy website, event emails, social media posts, press releases, and print advertising
- Social media posts, press releases, and print advertising
- Logo or team name prominently featured in advertising and promotional materials
- Listing in our Annual Report
Emily Dickinson – $15,000
- One Bee team of three individuals to compete
- Ten Bee tickets
- Prominent listing on the First Literacy website, event emails, social media posts, press releases, and print advertising
- Social media posts, press releases, and print advertising
- Logo or team name prominently featured throughout the event
- Listing in our Annual Report
Henry David Thoreau – $10,000
- One Bee team of three individuals to compete
- Eight Bee tickets
- Prominent listing on the First Literacy website, event emails, social media posts, press releases, and print advertising
- Logo or team name prominently featured throughout the event
- Listing in our Annual Report
Louisa May Alcott – $5,000
- One Bee team of three individuals to compete
- Five Bee tickets
- Listing on the First Literacy website, event emails, social media posts, press releases, and print advertising
- Logo or team name prominently featured throughout the event
- Listing in our Annual Report
Teammate – $3,500
- One Bee team of three individuals to compete
- Three Bee tickets
- Logo or team name featured throughout the event
- Listing in our Annual Report and on our website
Supporter – $1,500
- Two Bee tickets
- Logo or name featured throughout the event
- Listing in our Annual Report and on our website