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Press Release

Philadelphia 8th Grader Advances To Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee

Independence Blue Cross Co-Sponsors Regional Event

Philadelphia, PA - March 11, 2005 - Thirteen-year-old Tricia Powles beat out 32 competitors on Wednesday, March 9 for the right to represent Philadelphia at the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee.

This is the second year that Powles will advance to the national spelling bee; she was last year's regional champion.

Prevailing over top spellers from 65 Philadelphia schools, the eighth grader from South Philadelphia Homeschoolers Support Group and an adult escort will advance to the 78th Annual Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee, held in Washington D.C. from May 31 to June 2.

This is the fourth year that Independence Blue Cross has helped fund the regional leg of the nation's largest and longest-running educational promotion in conjunction with The Philadelphia Tribune. IBC Vice President of Communications, Kathleen A. Lister, served as one of the Spelling Bee judges.

"I didn't expect to win this year," said Powles. "I studied more than I did last year, but I never expected this."

We're very excited," said David Powles, her father. "It's a great birthday present for Tricia."

The Citywide Bee was comprised of the top five finalists from the "Fifth Grade Spelldown" held earlier on Wednesday at the Grover Washington Middle School, as well as the top classroom spellers in grades 6-8. The Spelldown winners were Ryan Corner from Saint Matthew School, Lily Joergensen from J.R. Masterman School, Jodi Luera from Alexander Adaire School, Chelsea Moscherosch from Richmond Elementary School and Zachary Zajac from Our Lady of Calvary.

In addition to underwriting the expenses for the regional champion and an escort to attend the national competition, IBC and The Philadelphia Tribune are picking up the expenses associated with the regional spelling bee and have provided prizes to the regional winner and runner-up as well as gifts to the coordinators of the participating schools.

Powles was awarded a personal computer and printer; a Samuel Louis Sugarman Award of a $100 savings bond; a Merriam-Webster dictionary; and $20 Amazon.com gift certificate from The Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The runner-up, Miguel Castro from Saint Matthew School, was presented with a computer, printer, and $20 Amazon.com gift certificate.

The top spellers from each school that competed in the Citywide Bee received a backpack with logos of IBC, the Philadelphia Tribune and the Scripps-Howard Spelling Bee. The runners-up from each school received a lunch bag with the logos of the 3 entities and the coordinators who helped organize the regional spelling bee received a tote bag with the logos.

The national event began in 1925 with nine contestants and has been held annually except from 1943-1945 during World War II. The purpose of the bee is to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts, and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives.

Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurer in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Nationwide, IBC and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.5 million people.

The Philadelphia Tribune is the nation's oldest newspaper serving the African American community.

Since 1941, the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee has been coordinated by the E.W. Scripps Company, a diversified media concern with interests in newspapers, broadcast television stations, cable television networks and other media-related enterprises.