Fewer students sign up for regional spelling bee
Posted: Saturday, January 26, 2008
MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) -- A co-organizer of the Corn Palace Regional Spelling Bee said fewer students have signed up for the Mitchell-area event after a $99 enrollment fee for the national competition was initiated.
Officials with the not-for-profit Scripps National Spelling Bee have said rising costs and decreased revenues led to the new enrollment eligibility requirement this year.
Linda Farney, who has helped organize the Corn Palace Regional Spelling Bee for 16 years, said just eight schools with a total of 48 students are scheduled to take part in Mitchell's Feb. 23 regional event. By comparison, last year's Corn Palace event included 25 schools and 160 students, she said.
Paige Kimble, director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, said in an e-mail that at least 48 schools statewide will participate this year.
The national spelling bee has extended its entry deadline to Jan. 31 because some schools might have not been aware of the new enrollment eligibility requirement.
Mitchell Middle School Principal Brad Berens said his school won't be participate this year. He said the new entry fee sparked a discussion about just how passionate his students are about entering.
"The entry fee was part of it, but we also visited with the language arts staff. They thought the overall student interest in the spelling bee just wasn't that high," he said. "So we decided to take a year off."
The local bees eventually culminate in the May 28-29 national championship in Washington D.C.
Mitchell's regional event, to be held at Dakota Wesleyan University, is co-sponsored by The Daily Republic and the American Association of University Women.
Officials with the not-for-profit Scripps National Spelling Bee have said rising costs and decreased revenues led to the new enrollment eligibility requirement this year.
Linda Farney, who has helped organize the Corn Palace Regional Spelling Bee for 16 years, said just eight schools with a total of 48 students are scheduled to take part in Mitchell's Feb. 23 regional event. By comparison, last year's Corn Palace event included 25 schools and 160 students, she said.
Paige Kimble, director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, said in an e-mail that at least 48 schools statewide will participate this year.
The national spelling bee has extended its entry deadline to Jan. 31 because some schools might have not been aware of the new enrollment eligibility requirement.
Mitchell Middle School Principal Brad Berens said his school won't be participate this year. He said the new entry fee sparked a discussion about just how passionate his students are about entering.
"The entry fee was part of it, but we also visited with the language arts staff. They thought the overall student interest in the spelling bee just wasn't that high," he said. "So we decided to take a year off."
The local bees eventually culminate in the May 28-29 national championship in Washington D.C.
Mitchell's regional event, to be held at Dakota Wesleyan University, is co-sponsored by The Daily Republic and the American Association of University Women.
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