*** ALERT ***

Both Divisions will take place in the afternoon. 

Check-in opens at 12:45 pm.

  Junior Division will start promptly at 1:30 pm; Senior Division will follow after a short break.

SEE YOU AT THE BEE!

S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G

B-E-E

Nebraska Homeschool is proud to sponsor an official Scripps Spelling Bee for Nebraska homeschool students in our area.  This is a route to higher-level competitions in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.  We invite you to join in the fun and showcase your homeschool student.

Bee Date: February 21, 2025 (Friday)

Location: Wildewood Christian Church

1255 Royal Drive, Papillion, NE 68046 

REGISTER HOMESCHOOL STUDENT HERE

Online registration is open NOW 

In-person registration will be accepted at the event 

** Our Senior Division Champion progresses to the Regional Spelling Bee on March 15, 2025 **

Include spelling in your plans!  Now is the time to mark your calendars for this year’s bee and gather your resources for studying spelling and vocabulary.

Both Junior and Senior Division check-in/registration starts at 12:45 PM. The Junior Division Bee will start promptly at 1:30 PM and the Senior Division Bee will follow immediatly after a short break.

Need study resources?  Click here to learn more about the new Word Club app!

Looking for an engaging way of building your child's vocabulary and spelling power?

Check out the Great Words, Great Works reading lists, a list of grade-specific books that contain the words your speller needs to know. Download the list from the Scripps National Spelling Bee website.

Resources for study:  Various Scripps resources are available to parents at their website and we encourage parents to explore their site.  One valuable resource is the Word Club app and be sure to study the School Spelling Bee Study List.  It's recommended your student start with the list that is at his/her skill level and progress from there.  To access study tips and other helpful resources we encourage you to visit the Scripps website.  If you are having difficulty obtaining the word lists, feel free to email our coordinator at s[email protected] for assistance.

Junior Division Students: we encourage you to study from the beginning of the list and progress to harder words.  If you plan to compete in the Senior Division, you will need to be familiar with the entire list and possibly more - maybe even try learning some of the Words of The Champions.  

Senior Division Students: we encourage you to study the entire list.  If your spelling skills are advanced, then you should also study Words of The Champions.

Vocabulary Study: the word lists do not include word definitions, so to prepare for the vocabulary rounds, try the website www.wordcentral.com or the dictionaries mentioned in the rules.  The Nebraska Homeschool Spelling Bee will offer some vocabulary rounds for practice purposes only but higher lever bees will expect you to know the definitions of the words.  

Another great parent resource is the “Teacher’s BEEhive” e-newsletter.  You can subscribe at www.spellingbee.com, click on the "Educators" tab, and scroll down until you find "Join the BeeHive" and where you can sign up. 

RULES

Everyone involved in the Nebraska Homeschool Spelling Bee is expected to abide by the posted rule.  We have adopted the 2025 Suggested Rules for Spelling Bees.  Please note, "DECISIONS OF THE LOCAL SPELLING BEE OFFICIALS ARE FINAL" and are within the prerogative of Nebraska Homeschool.  Spelling Bee officials include the pronouncer, judges, coordinator, and sponsor (Nebraska Homeschool).  The Scripps National Spelling Bee will not be involved in local bee decisions.

About the competitions: 

Junior Division is separated by grade level (grades 1 – 4) and is offered to help the younger spellers prepare for future bees.  If registration for a grade level is low, grade levels may be grouped in order to allow for competition.  Junior Division should be prepared for the use of the Scripps lists in both the spelling and vocabulary rounds; if a backup is used, it will be used for the appropriate grade level in the spelling rounds only.  The words used for the bee are chosen by the pronouncer and could come from either list or from any source of the pronouncer’s choosing.  Junior Division competitors are invited to participate in the Senior Division if they so choose.

Senior Division is for any speller through 8^th grade, with no separation by grade level, meaning the spellers will be competing as a single group.  Competitors must not have reached his/her 15th birthday on or before August 31, 2023.  The top speller (1st Place Senior Division) at this level will advance to the next level spelling bee.  An alternate name (2nd Place Senior Division) will also be provided in the event that the top speller is unable to attend the next level.  Nebraska Homeschool Spelling Bee will register the winner (and alternate) with Scripps and with the next level bee.  Senior Division spellers should study all of the Scripps lists, as well as any other spelling resources they choose.  While the words in the bee usually come from the Scripps list, ultimately, the words are chosen by the pronouncer and are not limited to any source.

Direct all questions to our Spelling Bee Coordinator at [email protected]