BENTON HARBOR — The 2020 Cloverleaf Spelling Competition is open to Berrien, Cass and Van Buren county and parochial school districts’ top three school spellers in an individual contest. Students will compete for numerous cash prizes, with the top prize being paid admission to the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee hosted in Washington, D.C. this spring.

The event is sponsored by the Herald Palladium, Cook Nuclear Plant/AEP, Berrien Regional Education Services Agency and Lake Michigan College. Co-sponsors include Honor Credit Union, Hexco Academic, Pizza Hut of Michigan, Jay Sugarman and Merriam-Webster.

The top three students from each school district participated in their own school competitions earlier this year, granting them the opportunity to compete at the regional event.

The public is welcome to attend the spelling bee, which is hosted at Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center, 2755 E. Napier Ave., Benton Harbor. The contest begins at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, and continues until a winner is decided.

Participating schools include:

Berrien County:

• Ballard Elementary School, Niles

• Berrien Springs Middle School

• Brown Elementary School, St. Joseph

• Buchanan Middle School

• Christ Lutheran School

• Fair Plain East Elementary, Benton Harbor

• Grace Christian School

• Hollywood Elementary School, Lakeshore

• Lakeshore Middle School

• Lincoln Elementary, St. Joseph

• New Buffalo Middle School

• Ring Lardner Middle School

• Trinity Lutheran, Berrien Springs

• Upton Middle School, St. Joseph

Van Buren County:

• Bangor Middle School

• Lawton Middle School