2012 Middle Tennessee Regional Spelling Bee con grat u la tions [kuhn-grach-uh-ley-shuhns or, often, -graj-, kuhng-] noun 1. the act of congratulating. 2. congratulations, an expression of joy in the success or good fortune of another. interjection 3. congratulations, (used to express joy in the success or good fortune of another) Congratulations! You have just won the spelling bee! 1400 50; late Middle English < Late Latin congrātulātiōn- (stem of congrātulātiō )
You made it. Congratulations for winning your county spelling bee! As a County Champion, you are automatically qualified to participate in the 2012 Middle Tennessee Regional Spelling Bee on Friday, March 2, 2012 at the Troutt Theater on the Belmont University campus in Nashville, Tennessee. This packet contains information you will need to prepare for the Regional Bee. Please review the contents carefully. If you have any questions, please contact Jerad McFarlin at jmcfarlin@bakerdonelson.com or 615.726.5705. Again, congratulations and we look forward to seeing you at the 2012 Middle Tennessee Regional Spelling Bee!
The 2012 Middle Tennessee Regional Spelling Bee Information for Participants and Parents Date Friday, March 2, 2012 Registration Registration for spellers will be open from 8:30 until 9:30 a.m. Competition The Bee will begin at approximately 9:30 a.m. and last until approximately 12:00 p.m., with one break. Place Troutt Theater at Belmont University 1900 Belmont Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37212 Directions See the enclosed maps and directions. Parking See the enclosed maps and directions. Please park in the Curb Parking Garage. Please allow plenty of time to get parked and get to the auditorium. Arrival and Registration Arrive at Troutt Theater and register in the lobby area before 9:30 a.m. Check in and receive your randomly selected number. This number will determine the order in which you will spell in each round. Have your individual head shot photograph taken. Enjoy some light refreshments before the competition begins. Go to the restroom if necessary. Locate your assigned seat on the stage at about 9:25 a.m. Wear your jacket or sweater or put it at your seat. Leave any books, papers, writing implements, etc. with someone in the audience. Meet the spelling bee officials. Review basic procedures.
Competition Procedure This will be a completely oral competition. No paper, books or writing implements will be allowed on stage during the competition. The first speller will approach the microphone. The next two spellers should stand up at that time and wait in the aisle for their turns. Spellers should continue to do this as their turns come up. This way we can keep the bee moving fairly quickly rather than waiting for spellers to get from their seats to the microphone. Each speller will introduce themselves during the first round, as they come up to spell their first word name, school, grade, and county. The pronouncer will say the first word and use it in a sentence. The speller should say the word, then wait for a nod from the judges to make sure that the speller pronounced the correct word. The speller can then proceed with spelling the word or ask for additional assistance. Additional Assistance The speller can ask the pronouncer to: say the word again, define it, use it in a sentence again, provide the part of speech and/or provide the language of origin. If the speller spells the word correctly, the judges will indicate so and the student will return to his/her seat. If the speller spells the word incorrectly, the judges will ring the bell. The pronouncer will provide the correct spelling of the word. The student will proceed to the reserved seating area for the eliminated spellers in the audience. They may move from this reserved area to seats with their families or teachers at the end of the next round. The next speller will proceed to the microphone to spell the next word. This will continue until the end of round one is announced. At that point, all students will have had the opportunity to spell one word. Round two will commence. Rounds will continue until a winner is determined. There will be one break during the competition. Appeals If a parent, legal guardian or teacher of a speller feels that their speller was eliminated incorrectly, then they need to complete a written appeal on behalf of their speller before the speller s turn in the round should come up again. Only complete an appeal form if you feel certain that your speller was eliminated incorrectly. Remember, it is the speller s responsibility to obtain as much information as possible before spelling his/her word.
Once the speller s turn has come up again, it is too late to submit an appeal. No one can complete an appeal against another speller. You can get an official appeal form at the front of the auditorium or from one of staff members at the back of the auditorium. There is also an official appeal form included with this packet. After completing an appeal form, you should approach the stage and give the appeal to Thom Storey or Jerad McFarlin. If there is not enough time to complete a written appeal, then you should approach Thom Storey or Jerad McFarlin immediately with an oral appeal. The judges will stop the spelling bee if necessary to deal with an appeal. The judges will make the final determination on all appeals. It is the student s responsibility to make sure he/she understands the pronunciation of the word. Appeals should only be made when it is clear that the speller was eliminated incorrectly. Noise Because this is an oral competition, noise from the audience will not be permitted. This includes spelling and mouthing the letters of the words, crying babies, noisy young children, cell phones, etc. If you or your guests have a cough, please bring cough drops. If noise becomes a distraction, the pronouncer will ask the audience to be quiet. Spelling Tips Take your time. Speak slowly, clearly and loudly. Do not start spelling your word until after the pronouncer has used it in a sentence, you have pronounced it correctly and the judges have given you a nod to spell. Remember that you can ask for assistance if you are unsure of the word. Remember there may be some homonyms or words that sound similar, so think about the word and its use in a sentence before you begin spelling. Ask for additional assistance, if you are unsure of the word. Remember once you start spelling your word, you may start over again, but you cannot change the letters you already said or change the order of those letters you already said.
Word List The Scripps National Spelling Bee is providing the word list. Many of the words on the list are from the Spell It! booklet. This booklet can be found online at www.myspellit.com. As the bee progresses, the words will not come from this booklet, but will come from Webster s Third New International Dictionary and its addenda section, copyright 2002, Merriam-Webster. Each student in a round will receive a word from the word list that is of equivalent difficulty. The pronouncer will only proceed to a higher level of difficulty of words at the beginning of a new round. Spelling Aids Spell It! can be found online at www.myspellit.com. Many of the words to be spelled are included there. www.spellingbee.com, which is the official site for the Scripps National Spelling Bee, may be helpful. Heating and Air Conditioning In March, the weather may be unpredictable, so it is difficult to know if the auditorium will be warm or cool to different people. Please bring a sweater or jacket in case you get cool in the auditorium. Guests You may invite your parents/guardians, other family members, friends, teachers and principals to attend the bee. It is open to the public. Photography and Taping The bee will be taped for the judges. If the judges need to stop the spelling bee to listen to the tape, they will do so. This tape is not for the public. Photography and video equipment are permitted as long as they do not distract or disrupt the spellers or the audience. The media may be present during all or part of the bee to take photographs and video footage. Media Coverage The Tennessean normally covers the regional spelling bee, so look for a story in The Tennessean in the days following the bee. Other media (TV, newspapers and radio) are also invited to cover the Middle Tennessee Regional Spelling Bee, so you may see coverage from other media outlets as well. Participants Spellers from approximately 20 Middle Tennessee counties will be competing for the regional championship.
Prizes The winner of the regional spelling bee will receive an all-expenses paid trip for the winner and one guardian to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., during Summer 2012, courtesy of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz. The champion will also receive: The Samuel Louis Sugarman Award: $100 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond donated by Mr. Jay Sugarman Webster s Third New International Dictionary donated by Merriam-Webster Subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica Online donated by Encyclopedia Britannica $20 Amazon.com gift card donated by the Scripps National Bee Trophies for winner and their school The runner-up (second place) will receive: Merriam-Webster s Collegiate Dictionary donated by Merriam-Webster Subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica Online donated by Encyclopedia Britannica $20 Amazon.com gift card donated by the Scripps National Bee Trophies for winner and their school The second runner-up (third place) will receive: Subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica Online donated by Encyclopedia Britannica Trophies for winner and their school
Maps & Directions The Middle Tennessee Regional Spelling Bee will take place at the Troutt Theater at the Theater Complex on the campus of Belmont University, on the corner of Belmont Boulevard and Compton Avenue. The street address is 2022 Belmont Boulevard, Nashville, Tennessee 37212. From the west (On I-40 West) Take Exit 206 to merge onto I-440 E toward Knoxville Take Exit 3 for US Highway 431 N / 21st Avenue S Merge onto US Highway 431 N / 21st Avenue S Turn right onto Portland Avenue From the east (On I-40 East) Take exit 213A on the left to merge onto I-440 W toward Memphis Take the US Hwy. 431 N / 21st Avenue S Exit Merge onto US Hwy. 431 N / 21st Avenue S Turn right onto Portland Avenue From the north (On I-65 South) Take exit 209B toward US Hwy. 70S / US Hwy. 431 / Broadway / Demonbreun Street Merge onto 14th Avenue N Turn right onto Broadway Continue onto 21st Avenue S Turn left onto Portland Avenue
From the south (On I-65 North) Take Exit 80 to merge onto I-440 W toward Memphis Take the US-431 N / 21st Avenue Exit Merge onto US-431 N / 21st Avenue S Turn right onto Portland Avenue From the southeast (On I-24 West) Take Exit 53 to merge onto I-440 West toward Memphis Take the US Highway 431 North / 21st Avenue South Exit Merge onto US Highway 431 North / 21st Avenue South Turn right onto Portland Avenue From the northwest (On I-24 East) Slight right onto I-65 S (signs for I-40 West / Huntsville / Memphis) Take Exit 209B toward US Hwy. 70S / US Hwy. 431 / Broadway / Demonbreun Street Merge onto 14th Avenue N Turn right onto Broadway Continue onto 21st Avenue S Turn left onto Portland Avenue
2012 Middle Tennessee Regional Spelling Bee Official Appeal Form Name of Student Speller Word in Question Name of Parent or Teacher Submitting Appeal (Note you may only write an appeal on behalf of your child or student. You may not write an appeal on behalf of or against another child or student.) Briefly state reason for appeal. Give this form to Jerad McFarlin or Thom Storey before the above speller s turn in the Spelling Bee should come in the next round. If there is not enough time to submit this form in writing, then an appeal should be made orally immediately to the judges table.