Fort Washington Law Firm Wins Spelling Bee to Benefit Literacy

What goes around comes around – or at least it did for three area spelling bee champions. Lawyers Jean Bond Brown and Christine M. O’Brien and legal assistant Patricia A. Stillwell, of Timoney Knox LLP, recently captured the 17th

annual Corporate Spelling Bee sponsored by Montgomery County Literacy Network (MCLN) to raise funds for its work with functionally illiterate adults.

“I had not participated in a spelling bee since third grade,” laughed O’Brien, admitting that she did not clinch the winning title back in elementary school.

O’Brien, Brown and Stillwall were one of two three-person teams of super spellers from the firm. The team outspelled 19 other trios, representing a range of companies, from large corporations to law, accounting and technology firms Each team paid an entry fee of $365, or $550 for two teams, which was donated to the MCLN.

The all-volunteer agency, founded 20 years ago, links Montgomery County adults who need literacy help with county organizations that provide it, and offers a path toward a General Educational Development (GED) diplomas, English as a Second Language (ESL) and Adult Basic Education programs. The organization estimates that 10 percent of Montgomery County adults are functionally illiterate.

“One of the partners in our firm is State Representative Kate Harper (R-61),” Brown said. She is involved with the MCLN and sent an email around asking if anyone wanted to participate—six were interested so we split into two teams.”

The 90-minute contest took place in the center of Plymouth Meeting Mall.

“I am very glad we were a team and that I was not up there alone,” said O’Brien.

The contest, which grew in difficulty with each passing round, drew from former Scripps Howard spelling bee lists. Each team received a list of over 1,000 words before the contest, from which the pronouncer selected about 100 for the contest.

The Brown-O’Brien-Stillwell team had split the list in thirds to study for the competition.

“That is my advice to anyone who participates in a spelling bee – read the list – it really helps,” said Stillwell. The team said other than splitting the list, they did little to prep for the event.

“We went in there wanting to do our best and have fun,” Stillwell said. “It is great that we won.”

The winning word?

Loxocosm, meaning a device to show how the inclination of the earth’s axis causes the day’s length to vary from season to season. None of the members of the winning team admit to incorporating this word or others from the list into their day to day conversations.

“It was a fun event, we met people from all different businesses and I would definitely do it again, it was for a great cause and we would be going back as champions this time,” Brown said.

While the team did not garner a trophy or a plaque they said they each received a large duffle bag filled with items.

The competition was kicked off by Ken Milner, spelling bee chairman, and past MLCN president and general counsel. Tiffany Hill and Michael Chew of B101-FM radio were the emcees. The Spelling Bee’s pronouncer was Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Judge Thomas M. DelRicci, and contest judges were Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Judge Kelly C. Wall and State Representative Harper.  

For additional information on the Montgomery County Literacy Network, call

215-721-9930 or visit www.mcln.org