Hemerocallis and omphaloskepsis are among the words 10-to 14-year-old super spellers may face when they take the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum stage in the 32^nd annual Greater Grand Rapids Spelling Bee Finals.

Twenty-two fifth- through eighth-grade students begin the final round of Spelling Bee competition at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, after surviving qualifiers that started with an   estimated 30,000 students and 194 schools.  The final 22 students are the winners of regional spelling bees who all come together in a grand finale of sorts. 

While there are prizes for many of the top winners, there is just one grand prize – a trip for two to Washington, D.C. to compete in the 2010 National Spelling Bee later this year. The Greater Grand Rapids Bee is among the largest in the country, according to organizers.  They credit some of the Bee’s popularity to a recent movie, Akeelah and the Bee and musical, The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.  The number of students who participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee has more than doubled in the last few years.

Kent ISD staff coordinate the local event, which is also sponsored by The Grand Rapids Press and News in Education, Amway Corporation, Verizon and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.  Prize sponsors are Huntington Bank and Craig’s Cruisers. 

“This is an event I look forward to every year,” said Kent ISD Superintendent Kevin Konarska.  “The ability of these students is amazing and the Bee celebrates a unique kind of academic talent.  I’m so glad we have the opportunity to highlight and reward academic study this way.”

The Spelling Bee promotes literacy and helps students improve their spelling, increase vocabularies and develop correct English usage. Spellers learn to think under pressure and experience being on stage in the spotlight.

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