The area is buzzing with excitement as teams prepare to take the stage at 7 p.m. Thursday for the eighth annual Spelling Bee for Literacy.

The beehive of activity will be Owens Auditorium on the campus of Sandhills Community College.

David Woronoff, publisher of The Pilot, which has been presenting sponsor of the bee since its inception in 2005, will again serve as master of ceremonies.

Teams will each take a turn at spelling words given them by Bob Howell, this year’s “Word Pronouncer.” Misspelling eliminates a team unless all the other teams also misspell in that round.

A new element in this year’s competition is “Break the Spell.”

At 8:20 p.m., the round currently under way will be completed. Then the “Break the Spell” portion begins.

All remaining teams will be given dry erase boards, and one word will be given for all teams to spell. Teams will have 30 seconds to write their words. Those spelling correctly will continue. If all teams are wrong, all remain in the competition.

“We have an eye on the clock, so this should hasten the ending,” says Nita Brunner, chairman of the Spelling Bee committee. “Since everyone is spelling the same word, they’ll be on equal ground.”

Creative costumes and themes are the norm for these competitors, many of whom have fielded teams from the beginning.

First Bank’s team, Bankers Bee-having Badly, includes Andrew Lyons, Chuck Boyer and Stewart McFadyen. Lyons cites three good reasons for his participation.

“I am on the Literary Council board, so I know the statistics and get to see the interaction between the students and tutors,” he says. “Also, First Bank is a big sponsor, and the main reason is that it’s fun.”

This is the first year that Boles Funeral Home will field a team. Cathy Davis, Denise Grandolfo and Marsha Southers are the Queen Beez.

“We wanted to participate last year, but missed out,” Davis says. “We think it will be fun. We’ve worked on our spelling, and today we are having choreography practice for our introduction. It’s been a lot of fun.”

The Queen Beez hope to have a lot of audience support.

“We want to win the Hive Award,” Davis says.

According to sources, the FirstHealth Disco Docs — Dr. Brady Holler, Dr. Saul Salvador and Jackie Gibbons, P.A. — have been exhorting their co-workers to buy tickets and attend to fill their Keep the Hive Alive honeypot with cash.

“We expect to demonstrate the wit, charm and spelling prowess necessary to dominate this year’s competition,” Holler says.

Lots of Teams

Other teams include:

• God Squad Returns: the Rev. Bob Brown, Bishop Michael Curry and the Rev. Amy Huacani, area Episcopal churches

• Buzz OPTHT!: Drs. Anna Fakadej, Daniel Messner and Jeffrey White, Carolina Eye Associates

• Beeyond Belief: the Rev. Brent Bissette, Sarah Edwards and Steve Hurst, Congregational Church of Pinehurst

• Longleaf Letterheads: Jeanne Crowell, Emily Hauslohner and Don Lock, Friends of Longleaf

• See Sharp or Bee Flat: Chuck Norberg, Preston Smith and Fred Wolferman, Golf Capital Chorus

• Hirease Bee-cons of Light: William Dent, Heidi Dent and Erin Yelverton, Hirease

• Three Yogis: Mind Body and Spirit: Suzie Fernandez, Michelle Kaiser and Christy Mickle, Hot and Healthy Yoga

• MCS Super Spellers: Lisa Scott, Jason Sparks and Aaron Spence, Moore County school system

• Penick Village People: Barbara Baum, Dorothea Brick and Jeff Hutchins, Penick Village

• PARfect Spellers: Kerry Andrews, Eddie MacKenzie and Tom Pashley, Pinehurst Resort

• Spellunkers: Paula Daigle, Doug Gill and Velta Zegel, Sandhills Children’s Center

• Read, White and Blue: Garie Rose, Jennifer Thomas and Susan Wright, Sandhills Community College

• Bee Keepers: Lisa Fagan, Jennifer George and Patrick Mackie, Southern Pines Rotary Club

• Bee 52zzzzz: Bill Eastman, Jennifer Ellison and Windy Pratt, Stifel Nicolaus

• Newshounds: Steve Bouser, Mary Novitsky and Karin Osterman, The Pilot

• Bee Bee and Tee: Jarrod Gouty, Brian McLeod and Samantha Smith, BB&T

• St. Joseph of the Pines: Lynne Drinkwater, Jennifer Gwaltney and Aaron Waremburg, St. Joseph of the Pines

• Pirates: Kimberly Daniels, Bill Maher and John Taws, The Country Bookshop

New Twists

A new twist this year is that there will no longer be judges on the stage. Two judges will be hidden in the audience to select winners in the Best Costume and Best Buzz categories.

Also new this year is an admission fee, which is $10 for adults and $5 for children.

“The $10 admission is a value-packed donation,” says Pat Motz-Frazier, president of the Moore County Literacy Council Board of Directors. “It covers the cost of one workbook for a student. It can be applied to your favorite team’s Keep the Hive Alive tally. And, if you get it in advance, it assures you of a seat.”

Tickets are available at The Country Bookshop, in Southern Pines, the Old Buggy Inn, in Carthage, Sandhills Winery, in Seven Lakes, Given Bookshop, in Pinehurst, and Sarvis Realty, in Southern Pines, up until the day of the event. Tickets can also be purchased at the door the night of the event.

The event will also be streamed live. Visit www.mcliteracy.com/beesteam.php to connect.

Biggest Buzz sponsors include Stifel Nicolaus, St. Joseph of the Pines and First Bank.

The Spelling Bee is the Literacy Council’s largest single source of financial support. In 2011, income from the bee provided 28 percent of the council’s budget, which supported 129 student/tutor pairs.

“The actual total from last year was $28,000,” Brunner says. “We are aiming for $30,000 this year.”

For further information about MCLC and the Bee, visit www.mcliteracy.com.

Contact Faye Dasen at fdasen@thepilot.com.