Northpoint wins 1st Place in PHM Spell Bowl

Nearly 200 third, fourth, and fifth grade students participated in P-H-M’s 31st annual Elementary Spell Bowl on Tuesday, March 21, 2017.

Each of the 11 elementary schools fielded three six-person teams (plus one alternate) representing grades 3, 4, and 5.

This year’s winners were a mixture from the schools:

3rd Grade Winners:

• 1st place– Prairie Vista with 24 points, coached by Ms. Shannon Sherman
• 2nd place- tie Northpoint and Walt Disney with 21 points each
• 3rd place– Horizon with 20 points

4^th Grade Winners:

1. 1st place- Walt Disney with 28 points, coached by Ms. Christine Austin
2. 2nd place– Northpoint with 27 points
3. 3rd place- Mary Frank with 24 points

5^th Grade Winners:

• 1st place- Northpoint with 29 points, coached by Mrs. Charity Ford and Mrs. Jen Payne
• 2nd place– tie Prairie Vista and Walt Disney with 28 points each
• 3rd place– Bittersweet with 27 points

The teams spend weeks preparing for Spell Bowl with their teacher coaches. They may study word lists, learn about derivations (e.g., Latin roots) and rules (e.g., capitalization, pluralization), and how to spell correctly under pressure.

The format of the Spell Bowl is more like a written test. The emcee reads a word and uses the word in a sentence, the students listen and then write it on paper within a 15-second time limit. The students’ written entries are reviewed by a panel of judges and then their score is posted in front of the audience. Each correct word spelling is worth one point.

The annual event is held in Penn High School’s Center for Performing Arts to not only accommodate all the student teams, but also their fans—family, friends and other staff from their home schools.

Mrs. Anne-Marie Reininga, P-H-M’s K-5 High Ability Coordinator, manages the Spell Bowl and works to assure that it is a positive and enriching experience for students. Academic competition can give students confidence, increase their motivation to sharpen their skills and abilities, and expand their opportunities to receive recognition.