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Long-time bee volunteer retires
By Denise Dick
Youngstown
When Margie Rodriguez began her career as a Vindicator Regional Spelling Bee volunteer, the event took place in the former South High Field House, and record keepers used typewriters.
That was about 25 years ago, and Rodriguez has decided to call it quits. She began as a word checker and worked the past several years as a judge.
“I enjoyed it,” she said. “I really enjoyed my time as a Vindicator volunteer. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have kept doing it.”
She liked watching the students come through with some of them returning for multiple years.
“Some of the students are really well-prepared,” Rodriguez said.
As a judge, Rodriguez was one of three people charged with ensuring participants spelled words correctly. Judges also rule on participant appeals.
In the early 1990s, the bee, now in its 81st year, moved to the Chestnut Room in Youngstown State University’s Kilcawley Center. She’s also seen the number of students involved decrease as schools have closed and consolidated.
In the early years, more than 100 students participated. This year, 52 students — from public, private and home schools in Mahoning and Trumbull counties — are entered.
Her years at the bee started when she was a business teacher at the former South High School. The school needed volunteers every year , and Rodriguez stepped up.
“As a teacher, you want to give back to the community,” she said,
Rodriguez is now a guidance counselor at East High School.
During her years as a volunteer, Rodriguez got her whole family involved. Her sister and three children all did stints as bee volunteers.
When he was about 10, her son was assigned to monitor the Danish table, which is restricted to principals and other bee dignitaries.
“One of the principals came out laughing,” Rodriguez said. “He said, ‘He really takes his job seriously.’”
Rodriguez wanted her children to be involved if they share the interest because she wanted to foster a spirit of community service in them.
Nena Perkins, Vindicator community events manager who coordinates the bee, said Rodriguez will be missed.
“There will be a void,” she said.
When Perkins first started with the bee and was trying to organize everything, it was Rodriguez who offered words of encouragement.
“Margie said, ‘Nena, don’t worry. That’s why you have us as volunteers,’” she said.
Perkins said she has a good crew of volunteers, and John Rozzo, a retired school principal who has been with the bee for years, will move into the third judge’s seat, formerly held by Rodriguez.