Photos: Grown-Up Spelling Bee Raises $1,000 for Watauga High School's Innovation Lab

Watauga High School saw another great turnout on Tuesday night for this year’s Grown-Up Spelling Bee.

The 15th annual event brought participating teams together to raise funds and awareness for the high school’s Innovation Lab.

Teams from the community went head-to-head, testing each competitor’s ability to spell a variety of words.

The Grown-Up Spelling Bee’s 2016 winners from Hardin Park School. Pictured from left are Amy Forrester, Anne Wilson, Barbara Myers and Melissa Dick.

After some tough competition, the group from Hardin Park School took the top spot out of 26 teams.

Could you spell words like “anthophilous” or “latke”? The Hardin Park team could, and they took home a win after correctly spelling “banausic.” The team included participants Amy Forrester, Anne Wilson, Barbara Myers and Melissa Dick.

They received prizes from sponsors, as well as bobble-head bees from Blue Horse Promotions and the coveted “travel trophy,” which they will display until next year’s event.

Thanks to participating teams and sponsors Krispy Kreme and Chick-fil-a, the Innovation Lab at WHS was awarded a $1,000 check to advance its programs in critical thinking and creative design.

Local leaders were on hand to keep decorum and judge spelling accuracy, including Watauga County Sheriff Len Hagaman, Boone Mayor Rennie Brantz, Spectrum Communications’ Omer Tomlinson and Blowing Rock Chamber President Charles Hardin.

Costume winners from the KAMPN team and table decoration winners from Appalachian Brian Estates received prizes from Canyons, Speckled Trout, Town Tavern, Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Chick-fil-a and Krispy Kreme.