Grade school students from across Utah Valley will compete in the local Scripps National Spelling Bee tomorrow. This is the second year that sponsors Alexander’s, Cedar Fort Publishing and Utah Valley University have presented the Utah Valley Spelling Bee, following in the footsteps of the Daily Herald newspaper.
The 2014 Utah Valley Spelling Bee will be held on February 22, 2014 beginning at 10:00 a.m. in the Ragan Theatre on the Utah Valley University campus.
“Investing time and money in education yields benefits for both the students and their environments,” said Alexander’s COO, Doyle Mortimer. “We believe that continuing the tradition of the Utah Valley Spelling Bee highlights the importance of education and literacy for our children and community, resulting in future economic growth.”
Each year, about 40 elementary and junior high schools in Utah County, and other surrounding counties, participate in the Utah Valley Spelling Bee.
In addition to the three primary sponsors—who pay for costs related to hosting the spelling bee and sending the winner to the national competition—Merriam Webster provides local Scripps spelling bees with a variety of materials, including a Merriam-Webster’s College Dictionary for the winner.
“As technology and digital capabilities expand, literacy and the written word is becoming even more important,” said Lyle Mortimer, publisher at Springville-based Cedar Fort Publishing. “We want to stress the importance of reading, spelling and language with younger generations. That’s why we’re sponsoring the spelling bee again.”
The winner of the 2014 Utah Valley Spelling Bee will win gifts from Alexander’s and Cedar Fort publishing. The three event sponsors will cover the cost of the winner and a parent or guardian to travel to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. May 25-31, 2014.
A complete list of school and bee winners will be published by the Daily Herald in during the first week of March. Visit SpellingBee.com beginning May 1, 2014 for a complete Scripps Spelling Bee schedule.
For more information about the Utah Valley Spelling Bee, visit UtahValleySpellingBee.com.
