By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
Students from Robert W. Coleman Elementary School gathered at Herbert Street Park in West Baltimore for a spelling bee on Oct. 10. The family event, put on by the West North Avenue Development Authority (WNADA) and Greater Mondawmin Coordinating Council (GMCC), was part of broader, ongoing efforts to strengthen neighborhood pride and provide West Baltimore youth with enrichment opportunities.
Following the bee, attendees enjoyed a free outdoor movie screening of “Sing 2” and walking tacos from Black-owned Concierge Catering.
“It’s important to offer opportunities outside of school for kids to come together to reinforce learning,” said Lorra Toler, neighborhood development officer for WNADA. “It’s also important to have enjoyable events for families to come together.”
That charge is shared by community leader Adeline Hutchinson, president of GMCC. Her organization works closely with Robert W. Coleman Elementary School. It also advocated for the development of Herbert Street Park, which was once lined with vacant homes before the community rallied to reclaim it as a green space.
This was the second spelling bee it organized for the school.
“Robert Coleman Elementary School is our community school. We work with them every year, helping them to feed the homeless and doing anything we can to support the youth,” said Hutchinson. “Spelling bees are one of the things we do.”
The young spellers were challenged with words such as “thoughts,” “original,” “edge” and “nagged,” as parents and community members cheered them on.
Adam Creek-Rohner, a second-grader, and Andrew Hoyte, a fifth-grader, emerged as the winners of the bee.
“I was kind of nervous,” said Adam. “Standing in front of my parents and other people’s parents was kind of scary.”
Though his favorite class is science, Adam spelled every word correctly.
“I felt good,” said Adam. “Everyone was proud of me.”
Like Adam, Andrew said he was nervous competing. He was proud to win and encouraged other young people to participate in spelling bees if they have the opportunity to.
“Just do your best. You don’t know if you’re going to finish first, last or in the middle and you don’t know how hard your words are going to be, so just do your best,” said Andrew. “Take pride in what you do.”
