What is Spelling Bee / Vocabulary contest? How it will be conducted?

The Spelling Bee contest
It is an American innovation at which Indians have become very adept. In fact in the last 7 years, kids of Indian origin have dominated the American national contest, known as “Scripp-Howard spelling Bee”, winning 5 times out of 7. In fact most of the years there were more than 2 Indian kids in the top ten, of the event. This contest helps immensely in development of mastery in English language in addition to improving their other faculties of competition, helping in educational pursuit.

Vocabulary contest:
It is a word meaning contest which helps in expanding kid’s word power, thus enhancing his ability to grasp knowledge. This very skill is tested in SAT test, which is a very established way of determining the college readiness and comprehension of the kids.

History of contest in Orissa:
We have started these tests in Orissa in 2003, in English medium New Stewart School, Stewart School, Cuttack, and Stewart School, Bhubaneswar. A few other schools like Ruchika School of BBSR participated in 1st year. About 500 kids participated.
We repeated the tests 2004 again in the same schools plus extended it to a few Oriya medium schools and central schools of Cuttack.

In 2005 the participation was vastly expanded and participation crossed 1000 for the 1st time and reached nearly 1200. Schools from six districts participated:
Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Berhampore, Jajpur, Bhadrak. Tests were conducted in Cuttack(twice), Bhubaneswar(twice), Sukinda and Puri.

The finals were held in Cuttack. The whole show was lead / managed by Diocese of Cuttack, led by B. B. Das, Diocese Secretary and Farley North, Principal New Stewart School.. It was technically supported by North South Foundation, USA and financially by an NRI, Sandip K. Dasverma.

From day one Prof. Gopa Das, President, Farley North, Secretary and Nita Das, Asst. Secretary and treasurer, have conducted the tests. They have developed enough expertise over last 3 years, to Indianize it, and taken all executive responsibilities.

It has been proven that it does excite kids to master English language and improves their language skills in English, the most important language in the era of “Globalization”.. To do this we need to do things which we have not done so far:

1. Spread it to every Oriya medium school in every nook and corner of Orissa, because it is expected to play a major role in the mission of improvement of English in Orissa. Lack of fluent knowledge in English is hindering Orissa’s development / progress.
2. The basic test should be conducted first by each school, internally. Then 5 to 10 students from each school need to compete in a inter school competition at districts level of the state.
3. Then the final will be at the state level, with big prize and recognition etc. This will be in conjunction with English medium schools.
4. The spelling Bee contest is for the juniors (6 and 7 class) and Vocabulary contest is for seniors(8 and 9 class).
5. The Diocese has done a great job in spreading the awareness and competition among the students of the English medium schools of coastal area.
6. They can and will extend this to the English medium schools in other parts of the state but that is a very small part of the student population.
7. To expand farther we need to use organizations which will complement the Diocese effort and spread the message and expertise, while the core competence and quality is controlled and maintained by a group of experts developed over last 3 years. This is where Lions club can chip in.
8. Lions role is envisioned here in providing it’s vast net work of 70 branches and the organizational expertise to hold it everyone of those towns and cities, and expand it to nooks and corners at one shot.
9. Diocese and Lions will complement each other in the Late K. P. Das memorial Spelling and Vocabulary contest and Trust, each in charge of their core competence areas.
10. Diocese will help in holding them in their own and other English medium schools and Lion in Oriya medium schools except where a combination will be beneficial per judgment of fhe organizers. The expertise and training of the new judges will be with co-operation of Lion, Diocese and the central body of experts..
11. Lion will use its presence in 70 locations, numerous officers, and offices, to help expand the tests to all parts of Orissa.
12. Web sites to exchange information, Post test words, leading to what is called mass customization is a goal to cut costs and maintain uniform quality. An example of what can be done can be seen at: www.rmtsorissa.org/ for improvement of math among rural students of Orissa.
13. Advantage of video technology will be taken to train new teachers and organizers to train them to internalize the modus operandi, of the tests. A Demo Video disc has was made last year to demonstrate “How to conduct” among new schools. It can be improved with better captions or other improvements.
14. Each district center will be it’s own cost center and will be self sufficient, through local sponsorships. They will take an entry fee. The will try to send all those qualified to the central contest, by paying travel expenses as per actual, host lunches for the participants and their parents. Though economically needy students to be supported- no free ride should be given to those who can afford.
15. Local district prizes can be given if funds locally funds can be raised.
16. The central organization will conduct the final, conduct one or two tests to demonstrate to those who want to come, see and learn, maintain quality by setting test questions and practice words. The central organization will also look for sponsors, which it presently has

This is a first draft and other ideas are welcome to improve it/ innovate it.