LIHU‘E — Elizabeth Scamahorn of Kalaheo was thrilled following the Kiwanis Kupuna Spelling Bee Kaua‘i Preliminary held on Tuesday at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall.
“He won!” she said. “We can go visit my son, who is the headmaster of the oldest Buddhist school in the state.”
Her husband, Charles Scamahorn, won the Kaua‘i Preliminary to secure one of the three positions to advance to the state competition on July 29 on O‘ahu, courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines.
Enduring more than two hours on stage and 53 total rounds of spelling, Scamahorn nailed the top spot after he successfully spelled “deloul,” followed by “escopeta,” after contestant Lucy Douthitt of Kapa‘a tripped over “comprimario.” That gave Scamahorn the window to break the two-person spelling marathon, which dragged 39 of the 53 total rounds.
With four of the starting nine contestants remaining on stage following eight rounds of spelling, Teresa Makinney of ‘Ele‘ele had problems with “headdress,” and Stephen Murakami of Kapa‘a was dinged out on “squirm,” leaving Douthitt and Scamahorn to scrap for the No. 1 and No. 2 spots.
There was supposed to be a spell off for the No. 3 spot between Murakami and Makinnery, but that never materialized because Makinney had to leave following her “ding.” The judges allocated the first alternate position to her in accordance with the Scripps National Spelling Bee guidelines.
Scamahorn, in addition to earning a trip to the O‘ahu state finals, was presented a medal and 50,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles for his victory. Douthitt, as the second-place finisher, earned a trip to the state finals, a medal and 30,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles. Murakami, as the third-place finisher, also earned a trip to the state bee, a medal and 20,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles.
The winner of the state Kiwanis Kupuna Spell Bee earns a trip for two anywhere Alaska Airlines flies, as well as a four-night stay at California Hotel &Casino in Las Vegas.
The Kiwanis Kupuna Spelling Bee Kaua‘i Preliminary was hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Kaua‘i. Its Service Leadership Programs include the Key Club of Kapa‘a High School and the Key Club of Kaua‘i High School. Several club members were present to help with the bee.
The preliminary was a day after Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami’s proclamation of June as 2023 Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month.
“The idea for the Kupuna Spelling Bee was conceived after Riley Regan, a then 16-year-old ‘Iolani School junior and past spelling bee winner, observed his Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather beaming with pride when he began successfully spelling words that Riley challenged him to spell,” said Cheryl Shintani, the Kiwanis Club of Kaua‘i president.
The Kupuna Spelling Bee continues in support of the Alzheimer’s Association Aloha Chapter, which along with the county’s Agency on Elderly Affairs, Amelia Kyewich-Kaneholani of the Hawai‘i State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and Robert Stewart, a self advocate, received the mayor’s proclamation on Monday at the Mo‘ikeha Building rotunda in the Lihu‘e Civic Center.
“They’re (the spellers) using their brain,” said Dr. Laurel Coleman of Kaua‘i Medical Clinic, who represented the Alzheimer’s Association at the Kupuna Spelling Bee. “That’s one of the things that help people who have Alzheimer’s — using your brain, along with physical exercise and social connectivity. There are other things people can do, but these are the main ones.”
Along with Kawakami’s proclamation, Kaulana Mossman, the program director of Kaua‘i Adult Day Program by ‘Ohana Pacific, said the popular Alzheimer’s Walk will return to Kapa‘a Beach Park in August.
According to information in Kawakami’s proclamation, there are approximately 29,000 people ages 65 and older who are living with Alzheimer’s disease in Hawai‘i. There are an estimated 51,000 caregivers across the state, and the state is projected to see a 21 percent increase in cases by 2025.
“One to three kupuna die with Alzheimer’s or other dementia, a progressive, irreversible neurological disorder that is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, the fifth in Hawai‘i, and the only Top 10 cause of death in the United States that cannot be prevented,” the mayor’s proclamation states.
•••
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
