Our bee is open to all homeschooled students in grades 4 through 8 who reside in the nine county circulation area served by the Albany Times Union: Albany, Columbia, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren and Washington Counties.
Around the country, there are hundreds of other sponsors for regional bees leading up to the Scripps National Spelling Bee around the country. Most sponsors are newspapers.
Call local newspapers near you and ask if they sponsors a regional spelling bee. If it's a large newspaper, ask for their "Newspapers in Education" department. You could also try searching the electronic archives of your local newspaper. If they've sponsored bees in the past, they surely published articles covering it. In some cases, your local bee might have been sponsored by a community organization rather than a newspaper, but, once again, searching the archives of your local newspaper may turn up the name of the sponsor. Your friendly local public librarian will surely be happy to help you track down that information if you're having trouble.
Some states have a sponsor with a bee that covers the entire state, but most regional sponsors cover only a part of the state. For example, there are close to 20 sponsors bees each in states such as Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas. By contrast, Maine has one sponsor bee that covers the entire state.
Once you find the name of a newspaper or organization that sponsors a spelling bee for spellers in your area, ask how a homeschool student may qualify to participate in their bee. All sponsors provide such arrangements, though the exact details of the "qualification structure" may vary from place to place.
Click here to return to Frequently Asked Questions list.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Frequently Asked Questions
Click on each question to go to the answer.
When and where is the bee for homeschoolers in our area?
Suppose I win the homeschool bee? What happens next?
Who is eligible to spell in the bee?
What kind of weird words will I have to spell at the bee?
How do I prepare for the bee?
What are the rules for the bee?
What's the history of the local homeschool bee? How long has it been going?
When and where is the bee for homeschoolers in our area?
Suppose I win the homeschool bee? What happens next?
Who is eligible to spell in the bee?
What kind of weird words will I have to spell at the bee?
How do I prepare for the bee?
What are the rules for the bee?
What's the history of the local homeschool bee? How long has it been going?
Suppose I win the homeschool bee? What happens after that?
The winner of our homeschool bee will represent homeschoolers at Greater Capital Region Spelling Bee sponsored by the Times Union and Capital District BOCES, which will be held at Proctor's Theater in Schenectady in February. This bee will also include about 100 students representing public school districts and private schools in the twelve county circulation area served by the Albany Times Union. Admission is free and open to the public, with the doors to the theater opening at 4 p.m. The bee will also be televised on a local cable station.
IMPORTANT: Students spelling in the Proctor's bee will need to have parental permission in order to participate, due to the television coverage this year. Capital District BOCES must receive a signed consent form prior to the bee, or the speller will not be able to spell in the Proctor's bee. Here is a link to the consent form.
The winner of the regional bee at Proctors wins an all-expenses trip to Washington DC to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee during "Bee Week," which traditionally begins on Memorial Day weekend and continues through the following Friday. Parts of the Scripps National Spelling Bee are broadcast live on ESPN and/or ABC.
Click here to return to Frequently Asked Questions list.
IMPORTANT: Students spelling in the Proctor's bee will need to have parental permission in order to participate, due to the television coverage this year. Capital District BOCES must receive a signed consent form prior to the bee, or the speller will not be able to spell in the Proctor's bee. Here is a link to the consent form.
The winner of the regional bee at Proctors wins an all-expenses trip to Washington DC to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee during "Bee Week," which traditionally begins on Memorial Day weekend and continues through the following Friday. Parts of the Scripps National Spelling Bee are broadcast live on ESPN and/or ABC.
Click here to return to Frequently Asked Questions list.
FAQ about our homeschool spelling bee
Click on each question to go to the answer.
When and where is the bee for homeschoolers in our area?
Suppose I win the homeschool bee? What happens next?
Who is eligible to spell in the bee?
What kind of weird words will I have to spell at the bee?
How do I prepare for the bee?
What are the rules for the bee?
What's the history of the local homeschool bee? How long has it been going?
When and where is the bee for homeschoolers in our area?
Suppose I win the homeschool bee? What happens next?
Who is eligible to spell in the bee?
What kind of weird words will I have to spell at the bee?
How do I prepare for the bee?
What are the rules for the bee?
What's the history of the local homeschool bee? How long has it been going?
What are the rules for the bee?
What information am I allowed to ask about the word I've been given to spell?
You may ask for a definition of the word and the language of origin of the word. You may also ask that the word be used in a sentence.
Even if you are almost 100% sure you know the word you have been given, we always encourage you to ask for some information about the word. It allows you to collect your thoughts and you always want to be as sure as possible that you have heard the word correctly.
If you are not sure you heard the word correctly, you are encouraged to ask that the word be pronounced again for you.
It is YOUR responsibility to make sure you understand the word you have been given to spell, so take your time and ask the questions you need.
Do I have to say the word before and after I spell it?
It's a very good idea to do both, but you will NOT be eliminated just for failing to say the word before or after you spell it.
Saying the word before you spell it is a good idea, because the judges may be able to stop you if they think you have misunderstood the word. Then the pronouncer can repeat the word and try to make sure you understand the word you are expected to spell.
Saying the word after you spell it is also a good idea, because it lets the judges clearly know when you have finished spelling the word.
Do I have to indicate capital letters, for example, if I am given a proper noun to spell?
No. The rules do not require that spellers indicate capitalization when they spell a word.
Am I allowed to stop in the middle of a word and go back to the beginning and retrace my steps?
Yes, but you may NOT change any of your original letters when you do so.
Suppose my parents and I believe that I correctly spelled a homonym of the word given by the pronouncer, but I was eliminated?
If the pronouncer failed to give a definition or sentence that distinguished the word from its homonym, your parents may file an appeal by handing a note to the pronouncer. Such an appeal must be filed BEFORE you would have received your next word, had you stayed in the bee. The judges will then consider the appeal and make a decision on whether to reinstate you.
Are there any other rules I should know?
We've covered the rules that come up most commonly above, but you can find a complete set of the rules for the bee, with annotations highlighting important points is available here.
Click here to return to Frequently Asked Questions list.
You may ask for a definition of the word and the language of origin of the word. You may also ask that the word be used in a sentence.
Even if you are almost 100% sure you know the word you have been given, we always encourage you to ask for some information about the word. It allows you to collect your thoughts and you always want to be as sure as possible that you have heard the word correctly.
If you are not sure you heard the word correctly, you are encouraged to ask that the word be pronounced again for you.
It is YOUR responsibility to make sure you understand the word you have been given to spell, so take your time and ask the questions you need.
Do I have to say the word before and after I spell it?
It's a very good idea to do both, but you will NOT be eliminated just for failing to say the word before or after you spell it.
Saying the word before you spell it is a good idea, because the judges may be able to stop you if they think you have misunderstood the word. Then the pronouncer can repeat the word and try to make sure you understand the word you are expected to spell.
Saying the word after you spell it is also a good idea, because it lets the judges clearly know when you have finished spelling the word.
Do I have to indicate capital letters, for example, if I am given a proper noun to spell?
No. The rules do not require that spellers indicate capitalization when they spell a word.
Am I allowed to stop in the middle of a word and go back to the beginning and retrace my steps?
Yes, but you may NOT change any of your original letters when you do so.
Suppose my parents and I believe that I correctly spelled a homonym of the word given by the pronouncer, but I was eliminated?
If the pronouncer failed to give a definition or sentence that distinguished the word from its homonym, your parents may file an appeal by handing a note to the pronouncer. Such an appeal must be filed BEFORE you would have received your next word, had you stayed in the bee. The judges will then consider the appeal and make a decision on whether to reinstate you.
Are there any other rules I should know?
We've covered the rules that come up most commonly above, but you can find a complete set of the rules for the bee, with annotations highlighting important points is available here.
Click here to return to Frequently Asked Questions list.
What kind of weird words will be used at the bee?
At the homeschool bee, our practice has to been to use only words that we believe a reasonably well-read adult might actually expect to run across in their reading.
At all levels of the competition, the official dictionary for the bee is Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. There are half a million entries in that dictionary and any word is theoretically fair game. Some of the words used in the later rounds of the regional and national bees can be very obscure. It's not possible to memorize them all, but students can have a lot of learning about etymology in exploring the dictionary playfully.
Click here to return to Frequently Asked Questions list.
At all levels of the competition, the official dictionary for the bee is Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. There are half a million entries in that dictionary and any word is theoretically fair game. Some of the words used in the later rounds of the regional and national bees can be very obscure. It's not possible to memorize them all, but students can have a lot of learning about etymology in exploring the dictionary playfully.
Click here to return to Frequently Asked Questions list.
How to prepare for the bee:
1) Read, read, read! Reading widely, including books, newspaper and magazine articles on a wide variety of subjects that interest you, is the best possible preparation for the bee.
2) Study the word list and the etymology tips provided at Spell It! Early round words in our homeschool bee will come directly from the Spell It! lists. Eventually, our bee word list will move on to words that do not appear on the Spell It! list, but the etymology and language of origin pattern recognition tips will often help you make good guesses about the spelling of those additional words.
3) Keep a sense of good humor and perspective. Have a good time with it! Make up funny sentences or silly stories about the words in Spell It! Try quizzing your parents about some of the tricky words you'll run across in your studies. It's good to remember that everyone makes mistakes, even adults! (Or perhaps I should, especially adults! Some of the mistakes we adults make are doozies! And most adult mistakes are far more serious than misspellings!)
Click here to return to Frequently Asked Questions list.
2) Study the word list and the etymology tips provided at Spell It! Early round words in our homeschool bee will come directly from the Spell It! lists. Eventually, our bee word list will move on to words that do not appear on the Spell It! list, but the etymology and language of origin pattern recognition tips will often help you make good guesses about the spelling of those additional words.
3) Keep a sense of good humor and perspective. Have a good time with it! Make up funny sentences or silly stories about the words in Spell It! Try quizzing your parents about some of the tricky words you'll run across in your studies. It's good to remember that everyone makes mistakes, even adults! (Or perhaps I should, especially adults! Some of the mistakes we adults make are doozies! And most adult mistakes are far more serious than misspellings!)
Click here to return to Frequently Asked Questions list.
Who is eligible to spell in our bee?
Our homeschool bee, which has run annually since 1994-1995, has always followed a policy of being open to all homeschool students eligible to participate in the Times Union bee. The Times Union rules state that students in fourth through eighth grades from the twelve counties listed at the end of this post are eligible. Students from Augustine Academy are also eligible to spell in our bee.
Students must also meet the national eligibility rules established by the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Complete details of the national eligibility rules are here.
Sometimes homeschooling parents have questions as to their child's official grade for spelling bee eligibility purposes. For most students, the official grade is the grade listed on the Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) filed with the school district.
Parents of students who have been grade accelerated or subject-accelerated in multiple subjects and/or repeated a grade or who have any questions about their child's grade eligibility should read the national rules carefully and contact the bee organizer at mathcircle@yahoo.com with any questions BEFORE the homeschool bee to avoid disappointment later.
Times Union eligible county list
(updated April 2012):
Click here to return to Frequently Asked Questions list.
Our homeschool bee takes pride in providing a very friendly and welcoming environment where homeschoolers from a wide variety of counties, backgrounds, and worldviews come together once a year to celebrate the rich heritage of the English language.
Students must also meet the national eligibility rules established by the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Complete details of the national eligibility rules are here.
Sometimes homeschooling parents have questions as to their child's official grade for spelling bee eligibility purposes. For most students, the official grade is the grade listed on the Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) filed with the school district.
Parents of students who have been grade accelerated or subject-accelerated in multiple subjects and/or repeated a grade or who have any questions about their child's grade eligibility should read the national rules carefully and contact the bee organizer at mathcircle@yahoo.com with any questions BEFORE the homeschool bee to avoid disappointment later.
Times Union eligible county list
(updated April 2012):
Albany County
Columbia County*
Dutchess County
Greene County
Montgomery County
Rensselaer County
Saratoga County
Schenectady County
Schoharie County
Ulster County
Warren County
Washington County*The Times Union bee includes all of Columbia County, except Germantown.
Click here to return to Frequently Asked Questions list.
History of the homeschool bee
(Updated 12/5/2015)
This year marked the 22nd annual homeschool bee as we select a speller to represent homeschoolers in the February 2016 Times Union bee. We are grateful to Calvary Church for hosting the bee in all these years. We are grateful to Mrs. Ruth Staver, who was our pronouncer and word list manager for many years.
We are also grateful to the pastors, custodians, and church elders who have assisted by getting to the church early to turn on the heat for us, set up the sound system, arranged furniture, and many other details that have helped to create excellent and memorable bee experiences for our spellers. We are also grateful to the many individuals who have volunteered as judges.
Here is the list of our past homeschool winners
1994-95 Heather Grambling
1995-96 Joshua Nare
1996-97 Sarah Newell
1997-98 Alison Miller
1998-99 Stephanie Johnson
1999-2000 Alison Miller
2000-01 Catherine Miller
2001-02 Catherine Miller
2002-03 Susannah Krewson
2003-04 Christiana Johnson
2004-05 Ryan Mason
2005-06 Leah Trouwborst
2006-07 Lynn Schonberg
2007-08 Mandy Ketttell
2008-09 Preston Law
2009-10- Jien Ogawa
2010-11 Paul Capuano
2011-12 Zarin Tuten
2012-13 Adam Roy
2013-2014 Elizabeth Oxaal*
2014-2015 David Barkevich*
2015-2016 Asher Andrews*
Augustine Academy winners
2013-2014 Christopher Oxaal*
2014-2015 Elizabeth Oxaal*
2015-2016 Ruth Zhang*
(*Beginning with our 2013-14 bee, we combined forces with Augustine Academy spellers. The highest placing homeschool speller in our bee will represent homeschoolers at the Times Union bee in Proctors. The highest placing Augustine Academy speller will represent Augustine Academy at the Times Union bee in Proctors.)
Click here to return to Frequently Asked Questions list.
This year marked the 22nd annual homeschool bee as we select a speller to represent homeschoolers in the February 2016 Times Union bee. We are grateful to Calvary Church for hosting the bee in all these years. We are grateful to Mrs. Ruth Staver, who was our pronouncer and word list manager for many years.
We are also grateful to the pastors, custodians, and church elders who have assisted by getting to the church early to turn on the heat for us, set up the sound system, arranged furniture, and many other details that have helped to create excellent and memorable bee experiences for our spellers. We are also grateful to the many individuals who have volunteered as judges.
Here is the list of our past homeschool winners
1994-95 Heather Grambling
1995-96 Joshua Nare
1996-97 Sarah Newell
1997-98 Alison Miller
1998-99 Stephanie Johnson
1999-2000 Alison Miller
2000-01 Catherine Miller
2001-02 Catherine Miller
2002-03 Susannah Krewson
2003-04 Christiana Johnson
2004-05 Ryan Mason
2005-06 Leah Trouwborst
2006-07 Lynn Schonberg
2007-08 Mandy Ketttell
2008-09 Preston Law
2009-10- Jien Ogawa
2010-11 Paul Capuano
2011-12 Zarin Tuten
2012-13 Adam Roy
2013-2014 Elizabeth Oxaal*
2014-2015 David Barkevich*
2015-2016 Asher Andrews*
Augustine Academy winners
2013-2014 Christopher Oxaal*
2014-2015 Elizabeth Oxaal*
2015-2016 Ruth Zhang*
(*Beginning with our 2013-14 bee, we combined forces with Augustine Academy spellers. The highest placing homeschool speller in our bee will represent homeschoolers at the Times Union bee in Proctors. The highest placing Augustine Academy speller will represent Augustine Academy at the Times Union bee in Proctors.)
Click here to return to Frequently Asked Questions list.
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Noah Webster, author of America's First Dictionary
