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William

William Mason, a seventh grader from Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge, won the 2009 News Sentinel Southern Appalachia Regional Spelling Bee. William’s winning word was "vociferous," which means given to vehement, insistent outcry.

As Regional Champion, William received a $150 cash prize, $100 savings bond, a champion medal, champion T-shirt, copy of How to Spell Like a Champ and a copy of Webster’s Third New International Unabridged Dictionary. The News Sentinel also sponsored his trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. where William admirably represented our region.

Grace Duer of Greeneville City Schools and Spencer Preston of Lenoir City Schools were runners up in the 2009 Regional Bee.

Congratulations to William, Grace, Spencer and all of the regional competitors.

2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee


What’s new?

--This year every school enrolled in the program can send their school champion straight to the News Sentinel Southern Appalachia Regional Spelling Bee, which will take place on Saturday, February 27, 2010 in the Alumni Memorial Building on the University of Tennessee Knoxville campus. School district-wide bees are unnecessary this year.

-- The format at the Regional Bee will change to accommodate the increased number of students. We are mimicking what happens at the national level by adding a written test round to the Regional Bee. The written test round will be take place on the morning of Feb. 27, 2010. The students with the top 50 - 60 scores on the written test will proceed to the oral round of the bee that same afternoon.

Why the change? Because it will allow us to include more students in the excitement of the Regional Bee, allow for more representation from each district and county, give each school more value for their registration fee and better prepare our regional champion for the national competition. This new process also extends the time available for teachers to use the study guide and bee materials in their classes, for students to learn the rules of spelling and for schools to hold their school spelling bee.


Benefits and resources:

The champion of the Regional Bee wins a cash prize, the official unabridged dictionary and an expense-paid trip to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee the last week of May 2010 in Washington, D.C. All participants in the Regional Bee will receive a certificate and gift. The News Sentinel will publish a special section featuring the regional participants that will be distributed in the paper and at the Regional Bee.

We also have more resources than ever available for students, teachers and schools. Under the school login section of www.spellingbee.com, which teachers will receive a password to access when their school enrolls, you will find grade-specific study sheets, a downloadable copy of the Spell It! study guide, additional study words and more.

Students, you can study the words now on www.myspellit.com or get a print copy of the study guides from your teacher when your school enrolls in the program.


How to enroll:

Go to www.spellingbee.com, click on "enroll in the bee" and follow the prompts. The enrollment is done at the school or home school group/association-level. If you are a student or parent and want your school to participate, please talk with your teacher or principal.

Once enrollment is completed, the national office will email the school bee coordinator a password to access the materials and resources on www.spellingbee.com.

Registration must be completed by October 15, 2009.


Eligibility requirements:

Accredited public, private and parochial schools and home school groups and associations may participate in the bee.

Any student may compete 1) who has won his or her school/association bee, 2) whose school/association is registered with the Scripps National Spelling Bee program, 3) who is in at least 3rd grade, but has not passed beyond the eighth grade on or before February 1, 2010 and 4) has not reached his or her fifteenth birthday on or before Sept. 1, 2009. For complete details, read the Rules for Local Spelling Bees on www.spellingbee.com.


Timeline:

October 15, 2009 - Deadline to register with Scripps National Spelling Bee at www.spellingbee.com

January 20, 2010 - Recommended date by which to hold your school bee

January 22, 2010 - Deadline to register your school champion on www.spellingbee.com and provide a photo

February 27, 2010 - News Sentinel Southern Appalachia Regional Spelling Bee


For more information:

Contact Kim Askey, Community Services Manager (phone: 865-342-6872, fax: 865-342-8665, email: spellingbee@knoxnews.com) or check www.spellingbee.com.

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