The Lake Worth Masonic Lodge went and put a twist on the classic spelling bee by hosting the first ever “government bee.” Five seniors from Santaluces won first place, beating John I Leonard, Park Vista, and Lake Worth high schools.
The team included Valeria Monsalve, Ilisha Strassler, Jacob Kalathoor, Trent Patterson, and Maliyat Hashin, with guidance from government teacher Ms. Gleason.
“I’m super proud of the students in their efforts, it was a lot of fun to watch them participate,” said Ms. Gleason. “I can’t wait for next year’s competition.”
The schools were split up into three rounds. In each round, students were given a “toss up” question but weren’t able to discuss the answer with the team. Then they answered a “bonus” question where if they answered the first question right, they would be allowed to discuss the answer with their team.
The winning team received a trophy and $500.
“It was a great opportunity,” said senior Valeria Monsalve. “The money was also a huge plus, especially since we got to work together to get the prize.”
