Have you heard the buzz? Registration is now open for local schools to participate in the 2022 Orange County Spelling Bee. With a plan to be held in-person this year — with COVID-19 safety measures in place — the written round of the Bee is scheduled to take place Monday, Feb. 28 with top spellers advancing to a final round on Saturday, Mar. 5.
Coordinated by OCDE in partnership with the Orange County Register, the countywide competition is open to all students in grades six through eight and provides youth an opportunity to improve their spelling abilities, increase their vocabularies, and develop proper English usage.
To participate in the Orange County Spelling Bee, schools and districts need to first host their own local events. Winners then move on to the county competition, and the champion of the Orange County Bee will have the opportunity to represent OC at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which is typically held in Washington, D.C.
We’ve put together some quick steps to help local schools with the registration process.
Step 1: Register with the Scripps National Spelling Bee
In order to participate in the Orange County Spelling Bee, schools must first register with the Scripps National Spelling Bee through their website at www.spellingbee.com.
The cost is $175 per school and, once registered, each school will receive materials and resources to assist with hosting campus spelling bees and prepare students for the Orange County Spelling Bee.
This video tutorial below, produced by the Scripps National Spelling Bee, helps walk through the online registration process.
Step 2: Register for the Orange County Spelling Bee
After registering with the national program, schools are eligible to register for the Orange County Spelling Bee. The cost is $130 per student, and all public, private and charter schools within Orange County may participate.
Orange County schools and districts interested in participating must complete the OC Spelling Bee Intent to Participate Form.
Step 3: Attend a general information meeting
A general information meeting for spelling bee coordinators or those considering hosting a school spelling bee will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 6 from 4 to 5 p.m. via Zoom. To RSVP for the general information meeting, please contact Sherry Calabria at 714-966-4471 or scalabria@ocde.us.
For more additional information, visit the OCDE Spelling Bee website or contact Kristin Rigby, coordinator, at krigby@ocde.us.