The winner of the 2011 Kosciusko County Spelling Bee will be determined during the first week of February, according to Blaine Conley, Akron Elementary School principal and coordinator of the 2011 Kosciusko County Spelling Bee.
The 2011 Bee will be conducted on two nights at Kosciusko REMC, 370 S. CR 250E, Warsaw.Approximately 30 students will participate in the two bees.
On Feb. 1 at 6 p.m., fifth- and sixth-grade winners from area schools will compete to determine the champion of their grade levels.
Seventh- and eighth-grade school winners will compete to determine their champion Feb. 3 at 6 p.m.
Following the determination of the seventh- and eighth-grade winner Feb. 3, there will be a spell-off between the two grade division champions, resulting in a grand champion for the Kosciusko County Bee. The grand champion will advance to the regional Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Spelling Bee.
The winners of the two grade division bees will each receive a $2,500 Richard R. Long Scholarship. The scholarship is given in recognition of Long's many years of service to the children, teachers and parents of North Webster School, and in honor of his work for the International Palace of Sports, now known as the Shoop Sports and Youth Foundation. The Shoop Foundation funds the spelling bee scholarships to help provide future higher education for the spelling bee winners.
For the fourth year, Kosciusko REMC is serving as a presenting sponsor for the local and regional bees, along with other northeastern Indiana and northwest Ohio Touchstone Energy® electric cooperatives.
"KREMC strongly believes in the importance of education, and this event is an important one for area students," said Kosciusko REMC Marketing Specialist Doris Lemert. "We're delighted to both sponsor and host the county bees this year."
In addition to Kosciusko REMC and Touchstone Energy Cooperative sponsorship, IPFW has also signed on as a presenting sponsor for the local and regional spelling bees. The bee is slated for March 12 at 10 a.m. at the Rhinehart Music Theatre in Auer Auditorium, on the IPFW campus in Fort Wayne.
Kosciusko REMC is a Touchstone Energy® electric cooperative serving more than 17,000 customers throughout Kosciusko County and into surrounding counties.
