SCRABBLE has been an integral part of my life, and my experience, spanning four decades, has given me a good perspective on how SCRABBLE has evolved through the years. I think that as a member of the Advisory Board, I can make significant contributions to the organization. I want to see our community grow and flourish, and I will be a good advocate for the membership.
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|class= name|'''[[Cornelia Guest]]'''
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I am from Connecticut and have been involved in the SCRABBLE world since 2003, when I read ''Word Freak'' and entered a newcomers’ tournament in Danbury (CT). Since then I have competed in over 140 tournaments, playing in both the TWL and CSW lexicons.
I have been strongly involved in School SCRABBLE since 2004, when my triplets expressed interest in playing. I have run School SCRABBLE programs at seven different schools and libraries and have brought over 120 kids to the annual School SCRABBLE Championships, including the 2007, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 champions. This year my students won all three divisions: Challenge, Championship, and High School. I am a member of the WESPA Youth Committee and am active in helping players throughout North America launch School SCRABBLE programs.
I have directed over 170 tournaments in New York and Connecticut, including NASPA-rated tournaments, School SCRABBLE tournaments, Youth tournaments (for players under 18), and newcomers’ tournaments. I was the Division 4 director at the 2012 National SCRABBLE Championship. For the last ten years I have organized and run the New England School SCRABBLE Championship.
I also support charitable SCRABBLE events and have acted as an advisor for Family Centers of Greenwich’s Annual SCRABBLE Challenge, which raises close to $100,000 each year to benefit literacy and education services for people learning English or improving their proficiency in English.
I am currently running monthly tournaments in Manhattan, directing the Danbury/Bethel/Brookfield NASPA Club #813, and running two weekly School SCRABBLE clubs for 2nd-8th graders. Last week I delivered a lecture at a senior center in Ridgefield and will be returning there in the fall to lead weekly classes.
I strongly believe that events that encourage new players and young players to participate are essential to the growth of tournament SCRABBLE. I'm eager to explore ways to jump start tournament participation. During my last term as an Advisory Board member I launched the Youth Achievement Awards, a point-based system that rewards players from 2nd-12th grade for achievements in Youth SCRABBLE, School SCRABBLE, and NASPA-rated tournaments.
I am also a member of NASPA’s Forward Energy Committee, where I championed and helped develop the Suggestion Box.
I am open to fresh ideas, and I hope to stay on the Advisory Board another term to help advance good initiatives and explore ways to get additional publicity for tournament play.
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