The Rotary Bees took first place in the NEF’s 2024 Trivia Bee
On Thursday, March 14th, the NEF held its 33nd annual Bee, the fourth year featuring trivia, with 49 teams and over 350 participants and attendees. Teams included students and teachers from each of Needham’s schools, local businesses and community organizations, and over a dozen family and neighbor teams. The evening started with an opportunity to meet Officer Rocket and Officer Ghost, the Needham Police Department’s Community Resource dogs, and to take team photos and purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win one of ten themed baskets with items donated by local businesses.
Mike “Sarge” Riley, the public address announcer for the New England Patriots and Revolution and a veteran Boston sports radio personality, kept the evening lively and fun as the event host, sharing fun facts about many of the teams or bantering with the student teams seated in front.
After 5 spirited rounds of trivia, including categories such as science, entertainment, geography, and Needham history, the Rotary Bees from the Rotary Club of Needham took first place. A tiebreaker, featuring a question in honor of Pi Day, determined the second place team — the Library Bookies from the Needham Free Public Library — and the third place team — the Broadmeadow Bees, with a teacher and students from Broadmeadow Elementary School. The Rotary Club and the Library have both been long-time participants in the NEF Bee.
Creativity abounded with the naming of the teams, including the Best Team Name category winner, Nobody Expects the Spanish InQUIZition. There were also a number of teams in fun outfits or hats, though none as committed as the Mitchell Teachers from the Mitchell Elementary School in their Taylor Swift regalia.
Having placed as one of the top three teams, the Broadmeadow Bees elementary team retained its title as the top-scoring elementary team this year. They will get to display the top-scoring elementary team trophy at Broadmeadow until next year’s Bee.
The event was recorded by the Needham Channel and will be available for viewing in late March.
Team and Event Pictures:
1st Place-Rotary Bees
2nd Place-Library Bookies
3rd Place-Broadmeadow Bees
Best Team Name-NobodyExpectsTheSpanishInQUIZition
Top-Scoring Elem Team-Broadmeadow Bees
Host Mike Riley
Officer Rocket at the Bee
Needham Select Board
Shrieking Shreks
2024 Raffle
Mitchell Teachers-Swifties
Officer Rocket and Ghost with NPD
Officer Ghost
NEF Board Volunteers
Bee Cupcake
Refreshments
Silly Sunflowers
Cupcake Sales
Officer Rocket
Needham Womens Club
Broadmeadow Bees and Stingers
