The Spelling Club: From left, back row, Maddy Hance, Kara Veldman, Jo Gudgell, Josh Veldman, Kahana Pietsch, Benjamin Pollard. Front row, from left, Eve Hance, Axel Greening, Wylie Kau, Anthony Kaskurs, Monica Connell, and Lee Pollard.
Orcas Island Elementary and Middle Students are preparing for the 2010 Orcas Island Spelling Bee in hopes of advancing to the National Spelling Bee Competition in Washington D.C.
The Orcas Island School District Parent-Teacher-Student-Association (PTSA) is sponsoring Orcas Schools’ entry in the National Scripps Spelling Bee.
Parents Tim Hance and Jennifer Pietsch help the students prepare for the competitions.Members of the Spelling Club have met to hold Mock Bees, to learn strategies and go over word lists every other Monday since November.
On Jan. 11, 4th through 8th grade students met in the School Library to practice on food words from Italy (“zucchini”) and the New World (“poi” and “hominy”). “Hominy” turned out to be a killer, decimating every contestant on the first round.
The Class Spelling Bees will be held this Friday, Jan. 15. The top three spellers advance to the School Championship Bee on Jan. 29, and the winner of that competition will go on to the Regional Spelling Bee March 13 in Burlington.
And then, hopefully, on to State and National Bees!
Hominy may have got them, but decimate got you. Decimate is a Roman punishment where one out of every ten is killed, not everyone.
Hominy may have got them, but decimate got you. Decimate is a Roman punishment where one out of every ten is killed, not everyone.
Hominy may have got them, but decimate got you. Decimate is a Roman punishment where one out of every ten is killed, not everyone.
My applause goes to the folks on Orcas Island for creating a spelling club. What a fine idea! As a longtime and now retired head judge of the Iowa State Spelling Bee, I wish more schools had such clubs. Good luck to your candidates at the local bee!
My applause goes to the folks on Orcas Island for creating a spelling club. What a fine idea! As a longtime and now retired head judge of the Iowa State Spelling Bee, I wish more schools had such clubs. Good luck to your candidates at the local bee!
My applause goes to the folks on Orcas Island for creating a spelling club. What a fine idea! As a longtime and now retired head judge of the Iowa State Spelling Bee, I wish more schools had such clubs. Good luck to your candidates at the local bee!