The Needham Education Foundation (NEF) invites the Needham community to join friends, neighbors, local businesses and civic leaders for its 21st Annual Spelling Bee. The event will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4 in the Needham High School gymnasium.

Admission is free, thanks to the generous support of many community sponsors. This year, the Bee’s lead sponsors are Needham Bank, Roche Bros., and Veryst Engineering.

The NEF Bee is one of Needham’s most popular family traditions and the NEF’s biggest annual fundraiser. It brings together more than 50 teams of parents, teachers, middle and high school students, and business and community representatives to compete for “Best Spelling Team of the Year.“

Special attractions include complimentary refreshments and a commemorative NEF Bee Cupcake available for purchase from Treat Cupcake Bar. Newly designed hats and T-shirts featuring the NEF Bee will also be available for purchase.

The NEF is pleased to present a star-studded roster of celebrity word pronouncers including Gary Gillis, president of WellRed Productions and WHDH-TV Alumnus; Daniel Gutekanst, superintendent of Needham Public Schools; and Shayna Seymour, reporter and producer for WCBV-TV’s nightly newsmagazine Chronicle.

Each year, the NEF Board compiles an extensive list of challenging spelling words for teams to study prior to the Bee. Last year’s winning word was “flagitiously,” which describes an action marked by scandalous crime or vice. On April 4, the NEF expects hundreds from the community to gather in the Needham High School gymnasium to hear the 2012 winning word.

For more information, visit www.nefneedham.org.