Year In Review: Post Events

From spelling to home decorating, each year, the Post hosts several events and contests for the community to participate in. This year began with the annual Pali Bee in February and wrapped with the Deck Your Halls home decorating contest in December—with winners announced in the first edition of 2019.

Pali Bee

Palisades Charter High School was abuzz Sunday, February 10, during the annual Pali Bee, where a colony of frenzied spellers tackled some un-bee-lievably tough words like “xylem,” “esophagus” and “hippopotamus.” This year’s event, made possible by the support of Amalfi Estates and Groza Learning Center, provided a little sunshine on a rainy day as kids in rubber boots and raincoats lined up to test their spelling mettle. Fifth-grader Asa Stratmann made history this year winning her fifth consecutive Pali Bee. The stellar speller began her career tackling three-letter words and has since mastered words that would make adults reach for the spell-check on their phones.

1st Grade
First Place: Jordan Miller (Kenter Canyon)
Second Place: Liliana Hires (Marquez)
Third Place: Charlie DeFransisco
(John Thomas Dye)

2nd Grade
First Place: Lucas Merrill
(John Thomas Dye)
Second Place: Nathaniel Steinsapir (Marquez)
Third Place: Hadley Poolman (Marquez)

3rd Grade
First Place: Yun Kim (Calvary)
Second Place: Samara Gottlieb (Marquez)
Third Place: Abigail Yoda (Marquez)

4th Grade
First Place: Hanna Shin (Calvary)
Second Place: Matteo
Duffy-Seidenwerg (Seven Arrows)
Third Place: Giles Freedman (Village)

5th Grade
First Place: Asa Stratmann (Canyon)
Second Place: Carly Crane (St. Matthew’s)
Third Place: Jakob Heindel (Marquez)

Teen Contest

Palisades Charter High School’s Mercer Hall was packed to capacity on Friday, April 12, for the 2019 Pacific Palisades Teen Talent Contest. This year’s event, made possible by Arnie Wishnick and the Cathie Wishnick Scholarship Foundation, Ralphs and The Optimist Club Pacific Palisades, began with a performance from Fancy Feet Dance Studio choreographed to MKTO’s hit song “Classic.” Hosts Pali High senior Cole Suárez and last year’s Teen Talent Contest winner Valentina Silardi smoothly navigated the evening, segueing between more than a dozen performances, ranging from singing to dancing and piano. Though every performance was spectacular—and the decision hard to make—Juliet Burks and Hunter Barnett were selected as the two 2019 winners.

Creep Your Crypt

Homes across Pacific Palisades donned their spooky best, vying for top prizes in three categories in this year’s Creep Your Crypt contest. Taking home the top prize of Creepiest Crypt is the Peil family, Kimber, Chuck, Kennedy and Holland, and their “Bollinger Cemetery” in Marquez Knolls. Winning the prize for Best Theme this year was the Murphy household, located in the Bluffs. Entering for the first time, the Murphy family, Jayce, 8, and Cy, 7, along with help from the family dog Pablo, had been planning since Halloween 2018 for their win. DIY/Originality this year went to Jonah Geller, a late entry from The Highlands who garnered enough votes in just a few days to collect the prize. His mom, Lili, explained that they were inspired by their good friend and neighbor Azita Baffa to enter Creep Your Crypt for the first time this year.