How to Hold a Spelling Bee
Few trends start out in elementary school and bubble up to adult activities, but that's the path spelling bees have taken. Inspired by the globally recognized Scripps competition exclusively for youngsters, spelling bees have become local events, fundraisers and intellectual competitions that marry learning with fun for all ages. If you'd like to hold a spelling bee---to raise funds for charity or to establish an entertaining way to gather together community members---you'll find that it's surprisingly easy to plan and stage.
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Instructions
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Decide how you will underwrite basic expenses for promoting and staging the spelling bee. Ask community members and businesses to become event sponsors by contributing cash or in-kind donations to cover basics like prizes, venue, chair rental and printing.
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Conceive a game plan that lists the goals and objectives your spelling bee expects to meet. Figure out how much room you'll need to hold the event---ideally, a theater setting that physically elevates participants so they're easily followed during the bee---and then settle on an appropriate site after visiting several candidates.
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Recruit a committee of volunteers to help you set up, prepare for and run the bee. Ask volunteers to choose their preferred support role from such categories as "set up and tear down," "word selection," "judge" and tasks associated with running the bee as a fundraiser, if appropriate. Determine the types of prizes you'll present--trophies, certificates or medals--and shop around for the best pricing.
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Publicize your spelling bee. Post flyers and notices in appropriate places. Provide all of the details necessary to recruit participants: date, time, venue, qualification parameters (e.g., adults only or specific ages) and contact information in the form of a phone number or email address. Add a deadline date for registration.
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Set the stage for your spelling bee. Rent chairs for participants and spectators if none are available at the location you've chosen. Construct your own or seek a donation of printed signs with bold numbers and cord attachments so each participant can be identified and tracked throughout the bee by the number he's assigned. Design a spelling-bee program and have it printed. Include mention of generous donors as well as listing all of the participants in the bee so there's a souvenir of the event.
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Host the spelling bee. Award prizes to as many winners as you like and thank everyone for helping and/or participating. Follow up the bee with a press release so local media have an opportunity to interview and write about the winners and the folks who were generous enough with their time and money to make your bee a resounding success.
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Tips & Warnings
Locate a copy of the film "Akeelah and the Bee" at your local library, video rental or other source; see how the mother of all bees is played out amid the story of one child whose tutor believed in her enough to take her all the way to the finals.
References
- Photo Credit dictionary image by Ben Higham from Fotolia.com
