Scripp's National Spelling Bee

Earlier in the month,

one of the leaders of Cary Home Schoolers

invited the kids in our group

to participate in

the Scripp's National Spelling Bee.

Previously, this incredibly long running program

was not open to home school students.

Now it is,

and Cary Home Schoolers have been entered.

Here is an excerpt from the website:

About the Bee

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is an educational promotion sponsored by The E.W. Scripps Company in conjunction with sponsoring newspapers and organizations around the world. Its purpose is to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabulary, learn concepts, and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives. The program takes place on two levels: local and national. Sponsors organize spelling bee programs near their locales and send their champions to the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington, D.C. The national program is coordinated by The E.W. Scripps Company corporate headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. In addition to planning and conducting the national finals, the national office annually publishes several word publications utilized by students, educators, and sponsors. The program is open to students attending public, private ,parochial, charter, and home schools. Participants must not have reached their 15th birthday on or before August 31, 2010, and must not have passed beyond the eighth grade on or

before February 1, 2011. A comprehensive set of eligibility requirements may be found in the Rules for Local Spelling Bees at www.spellingbee.com. The National Spelling Bee was begun in 1925. Nine students participated in the first national finals. In 1941 Scripps Howard acquired the rights to the program. There was no Scripps National Spelling Bee during the World War II years of 1943, 1944, and 1945. Of the 86 National Spelling Bee champions, 45 have been girls and 41 have been boys. Co-champions were declared in 1950, 1957, and 1962. The 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee will involve more than eleven million students at the local level.

Scott did not choose to be a part of this,

but Maya, 

(admittedly with some persuasion on my part,)

has chosen to participate.

Spelling has not always been

one of Maya's strongest subjects

until about two years ago.

In both fourth and fifth grades,

Maya worked incredibly hard 

and is now an excellent speller.

I know this will be a challenge for her,

but I also know that she will do very, very well.

So far there are 13 kids in our group

who are going to compete.

That number may grow, but that's as it stands today.

The CHS Bee will be held on January 15th.

The winner from that will then go on to the Regional Bee

held on February 26th

at the Talley Student Center

on the NC State campus.

The spelling champion from the Regional Bee

goes on to the National Bee

in Washington, D.C.

Wish Maya luck!