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Busy Bees
Akeelah and the Bee + 80th Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee
Akeelah and the Bee is a film of immense pulchritude. Pulchrutude, derived from Latin, is defined by Webster's as "extreme beauty." Akeelah Anderson, an eleven year-old girl, tries to hide from her friends at Crenshaw Middle School in Los Angeles that she is a "brainiac" and a "freak". What she can't hide from herself is that she can spell up a storm and secretly dreams of competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Akeelah has to compete with much more than other bee contestants to get to the nationals; she has to persuade her over-worked mom, convince a reluctant coach to take her on, and search deep inside herself to see if she has what it takes to win. Akeelah is a great kid, and our kids cheered her on as she competed, not just because she's a fighter but also for being a brave and ethical child, the kind they would want as a friend. The very definition of pulchritude. Which, by the way, turns out to be Akeelah's winning word.
Thursday evenings usually involve quizzing our elementary schoolers for their Friday spelling tests. We've made it through words like psychologist and recommendation, and extra credit words like sarcophagus. Tuning into the Scripps National Spelling Bee takes spelling to a whole different stratosphere. In 2006, Kerry Close of Asbury Park, New Jersey, won with the word ursprache. Our daughter predicted it was a type of cold soup; our son guessed it was a geological formation and we, well, weren't ready to admit a total and complete blank as to both its definition and its spelling. (As it turns out, ursprache, derived from German, is a noun defined as a language that is the hypothetical ancestor of another language). Our family had a grand time guessing at meanings and attempting their spellings along with the young contestants. This year, we're setting our TIVO for the early rounds on ESPN, but are planning on some cozy couch time for the final rounds on ABC this Thursday afternoon. With some prospicience (act of looking forward, 2002), your family will enjoy a fun night matching wits with expert spellers -- we promise, your kids will have no logorrhea (endless chatter, 1999), or pococurante (apathetic, 2003) attitudes.
Our Buttery Bits of Wisdom about this film:
- Why This Film Is Worth It: It's hard to imagine a more perfect family film. Dr. Larabee (Laurence Fishburne), the English professor who tutors Akeelah (Keke Palmer), tells her that "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeus, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be?" That affirming message -- a message to which every parent will respond-- runs throughout the film.
- Red Flags: The movie is set in a tough Los Angeles school, and the language follows suit. In addition, sorrow is not sugar-coated: Akeelah's father was killed in a shooting and her spelling coach, English professor Dr. Larabee, is mourning the death of his daughter.
- Starbucks, Anyone: This was the first DVD offerred for sale by Starbucks, who partnered with Lions Gate Films and 2929 Entertainment. To give this film a latte of promotion, Starbucks featured vocabulary words on its cup sleeves and sent its baristas to free screenings.
- Spelling-Mania: Our kids also loved the docu-drama Spellbound (2002) that followed eight children from their hometown bees up through the Scripps Bee. They quickly became immersed in Spellbound, but fell head over heels for Akeelah.
Our tips for talking with your kids about this film:
- Talent is a tricky business. Although some kids have unmistakable gifts, most have more normal talents -- that is, an area at which they are especially able. Ask your kids about their talents. How might they take what they are good at to the next level? Akeelah did, but it's great to discuss how much effort and determination it took her to succeed.
The 2007 Scripps National Spelling Bee
FINALS: Thursday, May 31, 8 - 10 pm EST LIVE on ABC
PRELIMINARY ROUNDS: Thursday, May 31, 10 am - 1 pm EST on ESPN
Check your local listings for schedules: we have found the final round broadcast at both 5 and 8 pm on different ABC channels and the early rounds on ESPN at 7am!
Age Recommendation: seven and up
Also:
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
May 24 - June 17, 2007
Wadsworth Theatre at the Veteran's Administration
For Tickets: 213-365-3500 (Ticketmaster), or the Wadsworth or Pantages Box Offices: 10 - 5 daily
Our Buttery Bits of Wisdom about this Popcorn Adventure:
- What Worked For Us: This adventure is, ironically speaking, a no-brainer. Kids tune in without any prompting at all because they try to spell the proffered words along with the contestants. We also had a little fun by first pulling up the Bee's winning words for the last 80 years: (Click here for the list from 1926 onward). The kids thought it was SO funny that even Mom and Dad couldn't spell every word correctly. Ha, Ha! (Try spelling esquamulose (1962) or staphylococci (1987)).
- Scripps Website for more information: http://www.spellingbee.com/
- Test Yourself! Click here for an elementary school aged spelling game; click here for a harder one.
- Scripps National Spelling Bee Background: Held every year in Washington D.C., this year includes 268 contestants, ages 9 - 15, from all around the world. Spellers qualify for the national championship by first winning bees in their home communities. The first bee, held in 1925, had nine contestants.
Our tips for how to extend this adventure in Los Angeles:
- The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee: This popular, Tony-award winning show has a limited LA run, starting this week and ending in late June. Our kids, who saw it in New York, LOVED the show but -- be warned - there is one song that many parents find slightly offensive. (Not recommended for kids under eight). The show is interactive -- audience members are chosen to participate as spelling bee contestants on stage, so every show is a bit different. To hear some songs from the production (including one that may be inappropriate for little kids) and to play a fun spelling bee game on the production's website, click here.
