Welcome to the Kansas Senior Spelling Bee web site!
The 3rd annual Kansas Senior Spelling Bee will be held Friday, October 16, 2009 in Salina, Kansas. First prize is a $1500.00 Scholarship to the national contest in Wyoming for 2010.
Salina held a contest in 1999 then all of Saline County was included and their contest continues today. In 2006, people from 18 counties participated at the Senior Fair in Salina. (see rules)
People participate in senior spelling bees for the challenge, to relive memories of when they were young, to show their kids they can do it, for bragging rights and mainly for FUN. We hope you will join us for this year's contest.
2008 Contest Results
Winners for the second annual Kansas Senior Spelling Bee held on October 3rd
1st place - Nancy Reese of Salina
2nd place- Maryba Dugan of Manhattan, age 87
3rd place - Georgia Deatrick of Wichita
We had 56 spellers from 27 towns across 22 counties in Kansas. The participants ranged in age from 51 years young to the eldest being 87 years young.
After the first 50 words in the written portion of the contest, the field was narrowed to 20 spellers for the oral portion, which was eventually
narrowed to the 3 finalists after a spirited and fun spell down.
Trace of Copper plaques made in Marion Kansas were awarded to the three top spellers along with a trip to Cheyenne, Wyoming for the 1st place speller, Nancy Reese, to compete in the National Spelling Bee in June of 2009.
Spellers came from Abilene, Andover, Basehor,
Bennington, Clyde, Concordia, Ellsworth, Emporia, Haysville, Herington, Hesston, Hill City, Lakin, Levenworth, Lincoln, Little River,
Manhattan, Mayetta, Paola, Salina, Sawyer, Tampa, Topeka, Ulysses, Vermillion and Wichita.
Our judges were Dr. Philip Kerstetter president of Kansas Wesleyan University Salina, Senator Stephan Morris president of the Kansas
Senate, Dr. Andy Tompkins Dean of the College of Education Pittsburg State University.
This years event was sponsored by: The Salina Senior Center, City of Salina Parks and Recreation 50 Plus Population, Saline County Commission on Aging, Humana Insurance, RSVP The Volunteer Connection, Kansas Association of Retired School Personnel, Kansas Area Agencies on Aging, Kansas AARP, Kansas State University of Salina, and Access TV.
TELL YOUR FRIENDS - THE 2009 DATE WILL BE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16th 2009. SEE YOU THERE!
