PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Philadelphia Tribune, the nation's oldest African-American newspaper, announced today that it is extending the deadline for the annual Philadelphia Tribune/Scripps Howard Philadelphia Spelling Bee, until February 23, 2007. The Bee, which is open to all fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students attending Philadelphia private, public, parochial, charter or home school organization affiliates, is to take place on March 3, 2007. The winner of this local spelling bee, sponsored by the Tribune and Independence Blue Cross, will advance to compete in the national competition in Washington, D.C., which takes place in early Spring of this year.
"Extending the deadline not only heightens the competition, but ensures that we have the broadest possible representation of Philadelphia spellers," stated Mariska Bogle, director of marketing and planning for The Philadelphia Tribune. "This Bee gives students, citywide, an opportunity to demonstrate talent and leadership, build their vocabulary, show off their language skills and have fun in the process. With the way the national competition was featured on ESPN last year, spelling bees are now evolving into a popular 'non-contact sport' for young people and it's become 'cool' to be an accurate speller. This trend should do wonders for boosting literacy levels."
This is the 82nd Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee. The Louisville Courier-Journal started the event with nine contestants in 1925. In 1941, Scripps assumed sponsorship of the program. There was no Scripps National Spelling Bee during the World War II years of 1943, 1944, and 1945. Co- champions were declared in 1950, 1957, and 1962. Of the 82 champions, 43 have been girls and 39 have been boys.
The winner and runner-up of the Philadelphia Tribune/Scripps Howard Philadelphia Spelling Bee will receive a Dell(R) computer and printer, while also earning the opportunity to compete in the national Bee, all expenses underwritten by the event sponsors.
To register for the local Bee, schools must first nominate/appoint a project coordinator to correspond directly with The Philadelphia Tribune. After filling out an application, the school must conduct its own competition, with the winners earning the right to compete in the citywide Bee.
Schools interested in having their students participate can obtain a registration form by contacting Mariska Bogle at The Philadelphia Tribune. The new deadline for all entries is February 23, 2007.
The Philadelphia Tribune is the nation's oldest and the Greater Philadelphia region's largest newspaper serving the African-American community. The National Newspaper Publishers Association, a trade association representing 205 African-American-owned newspapers, has recognized the publication as the "Best Newspaper in America" in six out of the last ten years.
The Philadelphia Tribune
