Thanks to YouthNet’s sponsorship, Maplewood Middle is now registered to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee program. This means that Maplewood Middle has the chance to send one of its students to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC, this spring. Again through YouthNet’s support, we’re hosting the MMS Scripps Spelling Bee Club on Thursdays after school in Room 19 for those students who would like extra spelling practice and who are interested in developing knowledge of word origins and spelling rules. A student DOES NOT have to join the club to participate in the school-wide spelling bee.
If anyone is interested in helping with the school-wide bee, generating interest among students (see list of Scripps ideas below), or would like spelling lists for their grade level (Scripps gives us access to a list of 100 words for each grade level, as well as word lists grouped by word origins), please let me know. I am eager to get as many students involved in the school-wide bee as possible. The MMS bee needs to be held before January 27, 2012 — this is the deadline for submitting the name of our school winner to the North New Jersey semi-final competition.
If our MMS speller wins the semi-final, he or she will enter the state final competition. If we are so fortunate as to produce a winner in the state final competition, our speller will go on to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC. For those students who enjoy academic competition or just like to spell, this is a great opportunity.
Important dates in the Scripps Spelling Bee process:
1) January 27, 2012 – Date to enter school champion in North Jersey Bee
2) February 3, 2012 – Date for parent to select semi-final assignment
3) February 3, 2012 – Date for parent to submit bio form and photo
4) March 15, 2012 – Semi-final #1 date, 7 p.m.
5) March 17, 2012 – Semi-final #2 date, 2 p.m.
6) March 22, 2012 – Final Competition date, 7 p.m.
Suggested ideas from Scripps for generating enthusiasm about the school-wide spelling bee:
- Host an all-school showing of Akeelah and the Bee (during alpha?)
- Offer after-school study groups. Start a spelling club and host fun mini-bees.
- Find a popular community personality to host your spelling bee—a local athlete, columnist or politician.
- Encourage everyone to dress in black and yellow on the day of your spelling bee.
- Create and promote a few supporting awards such as “Most Improved Speller.”
- Host a Teacher Bee for the entire school to enjoy.
- Raise funds for your school and spelling bee with Great American SpellCheck. It’s simple, safe and educational.
- Promote your spelling bee at other events such as high school basketball games or open houses.
- Invite students to design their own spelling bee logo. Put the winning entry on T-shirts to sell at your spelling bee.
- Ask a face painter to paint bees on students’ and teachers’ faces on the day of your spelling bee
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