The curtain opens on the 9th Annual Spelling Bee for Literacy at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 7, at Lee Auditorium at Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines. >

As contestants parade down the aisles to the cheers of adoring fans, Queen Bee Susan Sherard, executive director of the Moore County Literacy Council, and Master of Ceremonies David Woronoff, The Pilot's publisher and presenting sponsor, arrive on stage.

Competing this year are 20 teams of three adults each, all in costume and ready to make fools of themselves as they try to spell words that most people have never heard of. >

Those who >have no hope of winning the spelling prize compete for these other coveted awards: >Keep the Hive Alive Award, for >the team which raises the most money; >Best Costume, for the trio that >stuns the crowd with its get-up; and Best Buzz Award, for >the team that most delights, surprises and/or shocks the audience with its >stage presence. New this year is the BAG Award (Best Audience Garb), for individual(s) in the audience wearing the most Bee-appropriate outfits.

This annual fundraiser supports the work of the Moore County Literacy Council, which provides free, individualized tutoring services to adults. In Moore County, 22 percent of the adult population lacks the literacy skills to >function well in daily life.

The Literacy Council works with those >adults for whom classroom learning is not appropriate or possible. > In the last program year, 99 percent of students who logged 12 hours or more met at least one of their learning goals; 43 percent of students who were post-tested advanced an entire literacy level (equivalent of two or more grades).

This year's fundraising goal is $35,000. >Major sponsors for the event are presenting sponsor, The Pilot, and five Queen's Court sponsors: Stifel Nicolaus, St. Joseph of the Pines, First Bank, The O'Neal School and Tangramedia.

Teams for 2013 come from Boles Funeral Home (winners of the 2012 Best Buzz Award); Carolina Eye Associates (winners of the 2012 Keep the Hive Alive Award); Congregational Church of Pinehurst; First Bank; Friends of Longleaf (winners of the 2012 Best Spellers Trophy); Golf Capital Chorus; Keller Williams; Moore County Schools; Penick Village; Sandhills Children's Center; Southern Pines Yoga Company; St. Joseph of the Pines (winners of the 2012 Best Costume Award); Southern Pines Rotary; Stifel Nicolaus, The O'Neal School; The Pilot; and Town of Aberdeen.

Tickets are required for admission. Open seating is available for a $10 donation (kids free). Reserved seating is available too, but only for Bee Boosters - individuals and businesses who make a $100 donation and receive two reserved seats in the prime Queen's Court section. Tickets may be purchased in advance at The Pilot (145 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines) beginning Jan. 21, and also at the door.

For more information about the Bee and about the Moore County Literacy Council, go to www.mcliteracy.com.