The Official Word

What does it take to run a spelling bee? Well, for Bobbie O’Boyle, director of the Arizona Educational Foundation, it takes a lot of work, a lot of organization, and the help of some really good sponsors. Sponsors such as KAET. The public service broadcasting company has supported the program since 2002. Greg Giczi, Eight/KAET-TV General Manager says that KAET has two educational purposes: educating young children and supporting life-long learning. The bee helps them do both. Though he was just an average speller when he was young, he has to help his kids with their school spelling, which helps him appreciate all these contestants go through.

Walter Miller serves on the foundation board, and he was on hand to give out dictionaries to all the contestants. He believes that the spelling bee is a wonderful function for students, and the Foundation saw a chance to support education in a positive way when no one was sponsoring the bee several years ago.

Judges and the pronouncer are also important jobs at the Spelling Bee. Roxie Fry has been saying words to want-to-be-winners for fifteen years. Her son John won years ago and she became interested in the process then. She loves the excitement, and she enjoys adding a touch of humor between words to help everyone relax.

It’s nice that in a day when education isn’t always highlighted in positive ways, that students can find a good way to compete in something other than sports. Spelling Bees are one of the ways that students get to shine. If it weren’t for the important sponsors, the State Spelling Bee wouldn’t exist.