Diamond Middle School Teachers are LEF Trivia Bee Champs

Three Diamond Middle School teachers aced every trivia question to emerge as champions of the Lexington Education Foundation’s 2007 Trivia Bee last Thursday night before a boisterous Cary Hall crowd of 700 spectators. LEF Trivia Bee Master of Ceremonies (and Lexington High School music teacher) Jeff Leonard declared the “Diamonds in the Rough” winners when they correctly answered the question, “Name the Central American country located between Nicaragua and Panama.” *

It was a rapid rise to the championship for the three teammates, all first-time competitors in the LEF Trivia Bee. Sporting New England Patriots jerseys, the winning team included 8th grade social studies teacher, Troy Lemay; 8th grade English teacher Jen Muscia; and 7th grade social studies teacher, Howard Wolke.

It was a night of costumed revelry, featuring 42 teams dressed in orange kilts (the “Tigers of Lower Slobovia”), plump yellow and black bee costumes (the “Queen Bees”) and a bearded man dressed in a Marilyn Monroe costume (“Beauty and the Bees”).

Following welcoming remarks by LEF Co-President James DeVellis, Trivia Bee Co-Chairs Karen Kristin and Deborah Lapides read the game rules and introduced the officials. Resplendent in a gold Minuteman uniform and tricorne hat, Mr. Leonard made his ceremonial entrance accompanied by members of the LHS Jazz Ensemble playing “When the Saints Go Marching In.” LPS Superintendent Dr. Paul Ash served as the timekeeper, bedecked in robes and a wizard hat. Bowman School Principal Dr. Mary Anton-Oldenburg and LEF Questions Committee member Doug Cohen, attired in white barristers’ wigs and black robes, wielded the judicial gavel. Dance Inn Director, Thelma Goldberg, graced the stage as the Bee, and sounded the gong for each incorrect response.

New to the Bee this year were musical questions, some played live by Mr. Leonard on his soprano saxophone. Bee teams and the audience were asked to identify musical selections such as “Take the A Train,” the theme from “MASH” (“Suicide is Painless”) and the theme from “All in the Family (“Those Were the Days”).

The Lexington Education Foundation is an independent, non-profit community organization founded in 1989 with a mission to enhance educational excellence for the children of the Lexington Public Schools. Its grant programs finance educational opportunities outside the scope of the school operating budget, in areas such as professional development, teacher mentoring and curriculum renewal. LEF has provided more than $2.3 million to the Lexington public schools since 1991, with over $350,000 in grants given for the 2007-2008 academic year alone. LEF is directed by a non-salaried board of community members and supported entirely by contributions from residents and area businesses. All proceeds from the LEF Trivia Bee fund LEF grants.

“The Diamonds in the Rough” vowed to return to Cary Hall next November to defend their title as “Masters of Minutia.” To compete in next year’s LEF Trivia Bee, please contact Carol Colman at 781-372-3288, or lexed@att.net. Visit www.lexedfoundation.org to learn more about LEF.

* Answer: Costa Rica