LEF Trivia Bee - 2009

Community Supports the 14th Trivia Bee

How do you define community? The Lexington Education Foundation (LEF) thinks that the 14th Annual LEF Trivia Bee, held on November 5 at Cary Memorial Hall, exemplifies the meaning of community. Lexington parents, elected town officials, teachers, historians, police officers, school administrators, physicians, and folks from local businesses all came together for a friendly battle of wits to raise fun - and funds - for LEF.

Decked out in spirited attire - tiaras, kilts, devil-horned headbands, football jerseys, & more - forty-two teams (126 community members!) answered questions which challenged their knowledge and long-term memories.

LEF Co-Presidents Elisabeth Donahue and Deb Rourke warmed the audience up with a gracious welcome. Dr. Paul Ash then introduced the Bee Officials: Master of Ceremonies Jeff Leonard (LHS Director of Performing Arts); Judges Sandra Trach (Principal, Estabrook Elementary School), Doug Cohen, and Betty Gau (Questions Committee, LEF Trivia Bee); Timekeeper Peg Mongiello (Principal of Diamond Middle School); and Queen Bee Thelma Goldberg (Director, Dance Inn). The near-capacity crowd at Cary Hall cheered on their favorite teams with signs and whoops and hollers, all of which helped make the night a screaming success.

So whose neural activity was in highest form to take the title of 2009 LEF Trivia Bee Champions? "The Klee-Bees": father Edward Klebe and his adult children Becky Galipeau and Skott Klebe, who represented Estabrook Elementary School. They correctly answered the winning question, "In what year did the original Apple II computer appear?" with the response of 1977. This was their third attempt at the title.

Asked for their thoughts after the two-hour competition, Donahue and Rourke agreed that this year's Bee was a roaring success for the decidedly non-trivial matter of enhancing educational excellence in Lexington Public Schools. Donahue added, "We are so grateful for the continued generosity that members of the Lexington community show LEF each year through their participation and support of this town-wide tradition."

LEF is an independent, non-profit community organization, founded in 1989 with a mission to augment the incredible educational opportunities in the Lexington Public Schools. Free to the public, the Trivia Bee raises approximately $16,000 each year through individual and corporate sponsorship of the Trivia Teams. To date, LEF has distributed over $2.9 million dollars in grants to the Lexington Public Schools to bring innovate ideas to the classroom.

LEF funds initiatives outside the school operating budget and makes a difference in enriching math and science skills, improving literacy, promoting 21st century technology, enhancing social and physical well?being, expanding social studies and world culture, elevating the arts, and providing professional development.