Lesa Griffith of Honolulu capitalized on her skills as a writer, editor and public relations professional to capture first place and a $2,000 cash prize in the Kiwanis Kupuna Spelling Bee held Saturday at Kuakini Medical Center.

Susan Proctor of Hilo earned a $1,000 prize for her second-place finish and Christopher Moylan of Honolulu was awarded $500 for his third-place efforts.

Preliminary spelling bee events were held on Hawaii island, Kauai, Maui and Oahu, with Hawaiian Airlines providing round-trip tickets for the finalists to compete in Saturday’s finals.

The Kupuna Spelling Bee was established to encourage residents age 60 and older to stay mentally sharp and strengthen memory by learning and practicing the use and spelling of words.

Griffith’s prize package included Alaska Airli

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