Sixty-seven–year-old Winthrop Harbor resident, Steffi Smith was named winner of the Barton Senior Spelling Bee, hosted by Barton Senior Residences of Zion, after correctly spelling “psywar”, a noun meaning psychological warfare, in the 31st round at the event on Thursday, October 15. Smith beat out more than 27 adults, all over the age of 65, to take away the $250 first place prize.
1st Place Winner Steffi Smith
Smith, originally from Springfield Ill., is a retired children’s librarian who also served as a third grade teacher at St. Benedictine on Chicago’s North Side. Her husband, daughter and granddaughter sitting in the crowd cheered her on through all 31 rounds. Smith has competed in many area spelling bee events including the Zion Community Corporate Spelling Bee. She attributes her spelling success to her four years of Latin language studies, “word-a-day” email subscription and her good visual memory skills.
Steffi Smith, Josephine Galassini and Virginia Worker
Smith went though each round effortlessly, spelling other brainteasers such as dactyl, whelk and interreflection. The second and third place winners, 82-year-old Josephine Galassini of Pleasant Prairie, Wis., and 87-year-old Virginia Worker of Zion, Ill., didn’t go away empty-handed either. Second place winner, Galassini walked away with $150 and third place winner Worker was awarded $100.
Participants and everyone who came out to support the Bee received a gift bag and complimentary lunch. Private tours of Barton Senior Residences of Zion were also provided after the competition.
Tags: spelling bee, Zion
