PAWTUCKET, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
After two days of Triple Word Scores and strategic SCRABBLE plays,
students Noah Kalus from New Paltz, N.Y. and Zach Ansell from Los
Angeles, C.A. defeated more than 55 teams to take home the coveted
Championship trophy, title, and $10,000 grand prize at the 13th
annual North American School SCRABBLE Championship. The tournament
gathered the top 4th- 8th grade SCRABBLE players
from the U.S. and Canada for two days of consecutive, competitive
SCRABBLE play at Hasbro Headquarters in Pawtucket, R.I.
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Teammates Noah Kalus, right, from New Paltz, N.Y. and Zach Ansell, left, from Los Angeles, Calif., pose for photos after winning the 2015 North American School SCRABBLE Championship, at Hasbro headquarters in Pawtucket, R.I., Sunday, May 17, 2015. Kalus and Ansell won, 587 to 331, over a team from Chapel Hill, N.C. (Stew Milne/AP Images for Hasbro)
"The SCRABBLE game has a diverse, passionate community of players and it
was an honor for Hasbro to host this year's group of incredibly talented
student competitors," said Jonathan Berkowitz, vice president of
marketing, Hasbro Gaming. "We thank all of the participating teams,
their coaches and families and congratulate our champions on their
sportsmanship and skills."
Noah and Zach, whose team name is East-West Word Wizards, defeated
challengers Matias Shundi and Javier Contreras from Chapel Hill, N.C.
with a score of 587-331. More than 20 words were played during the final
game including DODO, TORA, EEK, LOUIE, AJIS, and KA. Living on opposite
coasts, Noah and Zach met through their current coach, Cornelia Guest,
and played SCRABBLE online together before teaming up in person for the
first time at the 2014 School SCRABBLE Championship.
Participating sponsors of the North American School SCRABBLE
Championship include Electronic Arts Inc., Merriam-Webster, and Intel,
which also provided a Lenovo Horizon 2s Portable All-In-One device,
powered by Intel®, to the Championship winners in celebration of their
victory. To add to the excitement, a live broadcast via Mind Sports
International's interactive RFID SCRABBLE system was available online
allowing those at home to follow each tile placement and score
breakdown. The broadcast featured exciting, play-by-play commentary from
competitive SCRABBLE players Kevin Belinkoff, Will Anderson, and current
National SCRABBLE Champion Conrad Bassett-Bouchard.
"As someone who has mentored younger SCRABBLE players for years and as a
fellow competitive SCRABBLE player, it's always exciting to see a new
generation fall in love with and compete at this game," said Conrad
Bassett-Bouchard. "SCRABBLE beautifully blends both verbal and math
skills, while also fostering a vibrant community representing people of
all ages and walks of life, and it was great to be a part of this year's
Championship."
For more than two decades, the School SCRABBLE program has provided
students, teachers, and parents a fun and social way to expand upon
classroom curriculum and strengthen participants' verbal skills, math
skills, strategic thinking, and teamwork. The SCRABBLE game, invented by
Alfred Mosher Butts in 1933, is one of the world's favorite word games
and is available in several digital and physical formats including a
JUNIOR edition for young players, the SCRABBLE TWIST unit available this
fall for games on-the-go, and digital versions including SCRABBLE for
iPad, iPhone and Android from Electronic
Arts.
The North American School SCRABBLE Championship is organized by the
North American SCRABBLE Players Association (NASPA), the nonprofit
organization licensed by Hasbro,
Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) to administer competitive play in the United
States and Canada. For additional information, visit the NASPA website
at scrabbleplayers.org.
For more details on the North American School SCRABBLE Championship and
the School SCRABBLE Program, visit schoolscrabble.us
and Hasbro.com/SCRABBLE.
About Hasbro
Hasbro (NASDAQ:HAS)
is a global company committed to Creating the World's Best Play
Experiences, by leveraging its beloved brands, including LITTLEST PET
SHOP, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, MONOPOLY, MY LITTLE PONY, NERF, PLAY-DOH,
TRANSFORMERS, and premier partner brands. From toys and games,
television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a
comprehensive lifestyle licensing program, Hasbro fulfills the
fundamental need for play and connection for children and families
around the world. The Company's Hasbro Studios creates entertainment
brand-driven storytelling across mediums, including television, film and
more. Through the company's commitment to corporate social
responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a
safe and sustainable world and to positively impact the lives of
millions of children and families every year. Learn more at www.hasbro.com and
follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro & @HasbroNews).
SCRABBLE, the associated logo, the design of the distinctive SCRABBLE
brand game board, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks
of Hasbro in the United States and Canada. © 2015 Hasbro. All Rights
Reserved.
HASGP
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Hasbro Media:
Litzky Public Relations
Marissa Connelly, (201)
222-9118
MConnelly@litzkypr.com
or
Hasbro
Global Communications
Jen DeAngelis, (401) 727-6833
Jen.DeAngelis@hasbro.com
Source: Hasbro, Inc.
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