They’re respected leaders in the worlds of business, law, education and media -- but how’s their spelling?
We’ll soon find out, when teams from Lubrizol, KeyBank, Cleveland State University, Baker Hostetler law firm and 20 other companies compete in Cleveland’s first corporate spelling bee, to be held Sept. 8 at The City Club.
WKYC Chief Meteorologist Betsy Kling will be the emcee for the event, which is called the CLE-BEE. It’s being hosted by The Literacy Cooperative of Greater Cleveland as a way of drawing attention to its mission.
“We want to get people more involved, make it known that advancing literacy is a true need,” says Laurie Atkins, Director of Adult Literacy and Career Pathways at The Literacy Cooperative.
Atkins said that more than 400,000 Cuyahoga County adults have a literacy level below 8th grade, which means the organization’s work to raise awareness and implement training and advancement programs is vital.
The event also aligns with the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization proclaiming September 8th as International Literacy Day.
“What’s a better day, than when the world is supposed to be celebrating literacy,” says Atkins.
Morning show host Mike Snyder of WTAM radio will serve as the official reader of the spelling words. The 24 three-member teams will compete in four rounds, in an effort to be crowned champs.
The spelling bee is set for 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $30 and include a complimentary bar and appetizers beginning at 5:30 p.m. WKYC is one of the CLE-BEE sponsors, and a team of spellers from the TV station has its hopes set on taking home the gold.
To purchase tickets or for more information, go to www.literacycooperative.org or contact Elaine Yeip at (216) 776-6184.
