A spelling bee took center stage as the Columbia Black Student Union transformed The Hive at 618 S. Michigan Ave. into a spirited competition, where students put their vocabulary to the test one word at a time.
On Wednesday, April 15, eight contestants stepped up to the challenge facing three rounds, each increasing in difficulty. The first few rounds were non-elimination; however the spelling bee culminated with only three contestants standing.
BSU Vice President Kayciblu Wright, a senior acting major, said the event was originally going to be a nostalgic watch party of the 2006 film Akeela and the Bee, but from that came the idea to host a spelling bee of their own.
“It was nice to do something incorporating knowledge, learning and to see where everybody stands in spelling,” said Wright.
BSU media team member Emmett Pickens, a sophomore Illustration major, said the event came from a place of fun and nostalgia.
“Its a fun opportunity for people to connect back to their elementary school roots to see if they still got it,” said Pickens.
Pickens assisted with the word selection for the bee and worried the words he selected for the competition were too difficult for contestants.
“I wanted to choose complicated words, but maybe I overdid it,” said Pickens.
First-year film and television major Aspen Stenson won first place in the competition by being the only contestant to successfully spell “bureaucracy.”
Stenson came into the competition with confidence, and said that she definitely felt a little bit “cocky” that she was going to win the contest.
Stenson said that her strong mindset helped her get to the finish.
“My third grade self would be so happy to know I won a spelling bee again,” said Stenson. “I really wanted to relive my elementary days.”
First-year fashion studies major Nigel Davis took second place in the competition, and junior film and television major Jeffery Cusic took third.
Davis participated in the spelling bee for the nostalgic feeling of the competition, and said that after leaving the classroom when he was younger, that’s where the learning ended.
Despite this, Davis expected to perform well in the competition and said he had a good chance of winning.
“I already knew I’d do well because I can do anything I put my mind to,” said Davis, “your dreams come true, stay in school.”
Cusic said he participated as a form of redemption from his early school years, and said that he always got second or third place in spelling bees.
Entering with a confident feeling, Cusic was able to grab the third place title and prevail on the winners podium.
“Before it started, we were practicing some words and I felt like I had it in the bag,” said Cusic.
Cusic reminisced on Akeela and the Bee, and said the film served as Cusic’s motivation for the competition.
Despite getting third place, Cusic said this accomplishment serves as the building blocks for better.
“I’m going to come up through the rankings,” said Cusic. “It’s an underdog story.”
Copy Edited by Samantha Mosquera
