Delphi to be host site for Spell Bowl
Comet staff report

Delphi Elementary School will host 11 area schools as a host site for the statewide Elementary Spell Bowl to be held Nov. 15.

School counselor Natalie Betz will coordinate the event. She said she was looking forward to her first spelling contest experience.

"I have never been a part of spell bowl before," she said Monday. "I am not sure how it will go or what to expect, but it is exciting to see so many schools from across the state getting involved in this academic competition."

Statewide more than 4,500 fourth, fifth and sixth graders are preparing for the 15th annual contest. Competition is similar to the spell bowls held in middle and high schools and is administered by the Department of Student Programs at the Indiana Association of School Principals and sponsored by Purdue University.

The Indiana Academic Spell Bowl is a team concept with no individual winners. Each round consists of one team member writing the correct spelling of seven words while competing against one team member from each other school. Students are seated on the gym floor or auditorium stage. Each word is graded immediately and an individual scoring chart maintains a running team score. Students sit in a cheering section to encourage their teammates.

Teams with the highest scores in each of four enrollment classifications at each site will be recognized with awards following the competition. The top 10 teams in each class will receive a plaque or certificate to place in their school.

Results will be posted at noon on Nov. 16 at www.iasp.org. Teams that qualified for state competition will be marked in bold. Call the elementary school at (765) 564-3895 for more information.