By Amber Bear
They are excited to announce that the registration for First Nations youth between the ages 6-14-years-old is now open and the deadline to register is January 31.
Lori McAuley, an organizer of the spelling bee, says the Regional competition is in partnership with Spelling Bee of Canada. The regional spelling bee will be taking place on March 17th in Saskatoon at the E.D. Feehan High School.
This is a volunteer-based event that brings many First Nations youth from all over the province. The top three contenders from each of the categories, from the regional spelling bee, will receive a cash prize and a trophy. In addition, the first-place contender from each category secures their spot to compete in the Toronto championship happening on May 28th.
The experience of the competition provides the youth with long lasting benefits. Some of the benefits include improved comprehension, improved confidence, and improved communication skills.
McAuley’ advice to the youth who are interested is, “take a chance and have fun and learn.” The experience can be a bit intimidating for the participants but when they are done, they have pride and ownership of their own learning.
Some of the feedback that McAuley has received from the parents and teachers is that the kids come back from the event, and she says, “their kids have really grown, and it helps support their identity.” The competition gives the children the opportunity to be leaders and help with their own learning.
There are three category age groups in the regional and final competitions: 6 to 8 years old, 9-11 years old, and 12-14 years old. Once registered, the contestants will receive their study e-manual and will have what they need to prepare for the competition. McAuley says they can definitely be first place winners, with preparation and studying.
They had a participant from 2017, McKenna who took third place in her category at the finals. They are very proud of McKenna’s accomplishment and are excited to see the next group take their places up on the stage.
There is a non-refundable fee of $50, which covers the cost for the participation in the Regional Competition, access to the study e-manual, a certificate, lunch, and a T-shirt.
For inquiries and to register contact Saskatchewan First Nations Spelling Bee by email at saskfnsb@gmail.com or call 306-291-6889.