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Spelling Bee
Regional Bee
Welcome to the official Regional Spelling Bee site! The Winston-Salem Journal Regional Spelling Bee is authorized by the Scripps National Spelling Bee to set up official bees in the following counties:
North Carolina
Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Caswell, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Iredell, Montgomery, Person, Rockingham, Rowan, Stokes, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin.
Virginia
Carroll, Grayson, Henry, Patrick.
Within these counties, public and private school students (as well as children in homeschool families) are eligible to participate in local spelling contests that are approved by the Winston-Salem Journal. The registration fee is $99. These are usually organized by a county or city school system, approved non-public school alliance or approved home-school group.
Most often children in grades 4-8 participate in local spelling bees. Usually a child will have won his/her classroom bee, grade bee, school bee and system or group bee to become a local champion and participate in the Regional Bee in Winston-Salem. The Regional Champion goes on to Washington, DC in late May to represent the region in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
About the Bee
In 1941 the Winston-Salem Journal became an authorized regional sponsor of the Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee. Throughout the years, dozens of Northwest North Carolina/Southwest Virginia Spelling Champions have represented this region in the National Bee held annually in Washington, DC. Two national Champions have emerged from the Regional Bee, and several have finished in the top ten. Hundreds of thousands of local students have participated at the classroom, grade, school, school district and county levels. Most recently, Saryn Hooks of Alexander County tied for fifth place in the 2005 National Bee and placed third in the National Bee in 2006.
The Spelling Bee is designed to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn language concepts and develop correct English usage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What kind of spelling words come up in competition?
A. Test yourself against the 2005 national winner in JournalNow's special spelling quiz!
Q. What are the important dates and deadlines for the 2008 Bee?
August 15, 2007 to November 16, 2007: Individual Schools must register on line with the Scripps National Bee at www.spellingbee.com. The registration fee is $99 per school.
October 15, 2007 to March 7, 2008: Local Spelling Bees held in individual systems and groups. Possible regional advancement Spelling Bees for Home Schools and Non-Public Schools may be held in February 2008.
March 10, 2008 - Report of Spelling Bee Winners Due: All System Group Winners' biographies and picture (please send your spelling bee winner report form with a photo attached.)
March 17, 2008 - Information and Direction Letters: The letters with the Regional Bee information and directions will be mailed to all system champions.
March 30, 2008 - Regional Spelling Bee: Regional Spelling Bee
The Regional Spelling Bee will be held at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. The Bee will begin promptly at 1:30 p.m.
Q. What are the age requirements to participate in the Spelling Bee?
A. There is no minimum age. Most champions are 6th, 7th and 8th grade students, though some may be younger.
Q. How can homeschoolers and children in private and parochial school participate?
A. Home-schooled students must belong to an association or group that agrees to hold various stages of spelling competition open to all homeschoolers in a county. The group must have one coordinator.
Private schools wishing to participate should form a group or association of at least several schools and appoint a coordinator. Only one group per county will be recognized.
Q. How can I tell if my school system, private school group or home school group is registered to participate in the Bee?
A. Email your question with details about your school and county to Ben Flynt at bflynt@wsjournal.com.
Q. How do I obtain copies of the Paideia Study booklet and other Spelling Bee material?
A. The Journal mails order forms and information to all system and group coordinators each fall. Individuals may purchase Spelling Bee material in the lobby of the Winston-Salem Journal at 418 N. Marshall St. Individuals may print out the book order form and send to the Journal along with their remittance.
Q. What does the Regional Spelling Champion win?
A. The winner of the Regional Bee wins some nice prizes from national sponsors, such as dictionaries and gift certificates. The biggest gift, however, is an expenses paid trip to the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in Washington DC for the champion and one parent provided by the Journal.
