Lewis Cass Intermediate School District is coordinating the 29th annual Cass County Spelling Bee for Dowagiac, Cassopolis and Edwardsburg students grades 4-8 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 27 at Southwestern Michigan College.
The format consists of team and individual spelling competitions.
In the morning, all 90 students compete on five-member grade level teams against the same grade levels from the other school districts.
A point system is in place for team spelling so misspelled words do not eliminate students from the activity.
First- through fourth-place ribbons are awarded to all teams after 10 rounds of spelling.
In the afternoon, students who spelled perfectly or only missed one word in morning competition advance to the individual spelling contest.
If students misspell a word during the individual contest, they are eliminated from the bee.
The top three spellers who remain at the end of competition all receive prizes for their success.
The top two spellers receive $50 savings bonds. The top speller, the Cass County Spelling Bee Champion, also receives a trophy.
The two top fourth-grade individual winners receive word games.
Again this year, an overall district trophy will be awarded to the district showing the greatest spelling prowess.
Cass County Historical Commission donates prizes and monetary awards.
Brian Wood, LCISD instructional services director, is event coordinator.
The Teachers Steering Committee includes Karen Holbury (Cassopolis), Heather Nash (Dowagiac), Kim Stevenson (Edwardsburg) and Sue Stoddard (Marcellus, retired).
The 2012 pronouncers are Lin Mallory and John Pasternak, retired Dowagiac principals, and Penny Deats, retired Edwardsburg teacher.
Scorekeepers and judges are LCISD Supt. Bob Colby, former Dowagiac school board member Linda Lorenz, Cassopolis Board of Education President Christine Locke, Cassopolis Curriculum Director Sue Hague, Johanna Timpson of Marcellus and Heather Merrill, LCISD Great Start coordinator.
The public is invited to attend competition in SMC’s Dale A. Lyons Building and Mathews Conference Center.
Dowagiac Middle School fourth and fifth graders will be selecting their teams on Thursday.