Spelling Bee of Canada
Encyclopedia
The Spelling Bee of Canada is a charitable, educational organization founded in the Greater Toronto Area
in 1987, in an initial attempt to create a national Canadian spelling bee
. It is an independent and unsanctioned event which is not affiliated with the much larger and well-established US-based Scripps National Spelling Bee
or the official Canspell National Spelling Bee
which already competes in all 10 Canadian provinces and provides a Canadian National Champion for the penultimate Scripps
competition.
The SBOC organizes annual spelling bees aimed at youth 6-14 years of age. The participants are placed into one of three categories, Primary age 6 to 8, Junior age 9 to 11 & Intermediate age 12-14 to vie for scholarships, trophies and prizes. As of 2005, over 30 000 children from across Ontario
have participated in the program. With the aid of technology, the SBOC's strategy for growth over the "next 3 years" (as initially posted on the organization's website in late 2004 http://web.archive.org/web/20060724013524/http://spellingbeeofcanada.ca/pages/about/about.php?PHPSESSID=b64c2a7041848e7a789443629c2645ac) is to target all regions within each province to join the program.
However, SBOC still only operates almost exclusively in Ontario, with its highest level of competition, the SBOC Ontario finals, having been broadcast for several years only on a regional network, TVO
. Outside Ontario, it has received much less media attention than the official Canspell National Spelling Bee
, which competes in all 10 Canadian provinces and provides a true Canadian National Champion for the US-based Scripps National Spelling Bee
.
1st place - Varjitt Jeeva
2nd place - Keerthana Ravigulan
3rd place - Samuel Heersink
1st place - Dhivian Premakumar
2nd place - Jeffrey Baer
3rd place - Kiruthiha Vimalakanthan
1st place - Gazal Grewal
2nd place - Charlie Gray
3rd place - Katie Martin
1st place - Jeffrey Baer
2nd place - Kiruthiha Vimalakanthan
3rd place - David Sheps
1st place - Katie Martin
2nd place - Jill O'Craven
3rd place - Kim Tran Nguyen
1st place - Leslie Newcombe
2nd place - Angus Benderavage
3rd place - Sarah Bowers
1st place - David Chan
2nd place - Laura Newcombe
3rd place - Veronica Penny
1st place - Katie Martin
2nd place - Zuhaer Anzum Zim
3rd place - Maleika Jeewanjee
1st place - Umayangga Yogalingam
2nd place - Donald Bowins
3rd place - Merany Ganesan
1st Place - Caitlin McLaren
2nd place - Alexander Newcombe
3rd place - Jessica Zung
1st Place - Jessica Zung
2nd Place - Alexander Newcombe
3rd Place - Ibrahim Tahir
1st Place - Daniela Kistemaker
2nd Place - Janahan Selvanayagam
3rd Place - Veronica Penny
1st Place - Zakhar Husak
2nd Place - Zhongtian (Niuniu) Wang
3rd Place - Neharika Nair
1st Place - Veronica Penny
2nd Place - Anna Lawrence
3rd Place - Laura Newcombe
1st Place Veronica Penny
2nd Place Emma McLaren
3rd Place Laura Newcombe
is affiliated with the US-based Scripps National Spelling Bee
. SBOC winners must compete in the Canspell National Spelling Bee
in order to qualify for the penultimate Scripps
bee, as the SBOC is an unsanctioned regional event, and not affiliated with either bee.
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
in 1987, in an initial attempt to create a national Canadian spelling bee
Spelling bee
A spelling bee is a competition where contestants, usually children, are asked to spell English words. The concept is thought to have originated in the United States....
. It is an independent and unsanctioned event which is not affiliated with the much larger and well-established US-based Scripps National Spelling Bee
Scripps National Spelling Bee
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a highly competitive annual spelling bee in the United States, with participants from other countries as well. It is run on a not-for-profit basis by The E. W...
or the official Canspell National Spelling Bee
CanSpell National Spelling Bee
The Postmedia Canspell National Spelling Bee, formerly called the Canwest Canspell National Spelling Bee, is a spelling bee held annually in Canada since 2005. The bee is affiliated with the United States-based Scripps National Spelling Bee and uses similar rules and word lists, adapted to best...
which already competes in all 10 Canadian provinces and provides a Canadian National Champion for the penultimate Scripps
Scripps National Spelling Bee
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a highly competitive annual spelling bee in the United States, with participants from other countries as well. It is run on a not-for-profit basis by The E. W...
competition.
The SBOC organizes annual spelling bees aimed at youth 6-14 years of age. The participants are placed into one of three categories, Primary age 6 to 8, Junior age 9 to 11 & Intermediate age 12-14 to vie for scholarships, trophies and prizes. As of 2005, over 30 000 children from across Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
have participated in the program. With the aid of technology, the SBOC's strategy for growth over the "next 3 years" (as initially posted on the organization's website in late 2004 http://web.archive.org/web/20060724013524/http://spellingbeeofcanada.ca/pages/about/about.php?PHPSESSID=b64c2a7041848e7a789443629c2645ac) is to target all regions within each province to join the program.
However, SBOC still only operates almost exclusively in Ontario, with its highest level of competition, the SBOC Ontario finals, having been broadcast for several years only on a regional network, TVO
TVOntario
TVOntario, often referred to only as TVO , is a publicly funded, educational English-language television station and media organization in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Ontario...
. Outside Ontario, it has received much less media attention than the official Canspell National Spelling Bee
CanSpell National Spelling Bee
The Postmedia Canspell National Spelling Bee, formerly called the Canwest Canspell National Spelling Bee, is a spelling bee held annually in Canada since 2005. The bee is affiliated with the United States-based Scripps National Spelling Bee and uses similar rules and word lists, adapted to best...
, which competes in all 10 Canadian provinces and provides a true Canadian National Champion for the US-based Scripps National Spelling Bee
Scripps National Spelling Bee
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a highly competitive annual spelling bee in the United States, with participants from other countries as well. It is run on a not-for-profit basis by The E. W...
.
Recent SBOC Ontario winners
- 2004 Junior:
1st place - Varjitt Jeeva
2nd place - Keerthana Ravigulan
3rd place - Samuel Heersink
- 2004 Senior:
1st place - Dhivian Premakumar
2nd place - Jeffrey Baer
3rd place - Kiruthiha Vimalakanthan
- 2005 Junior:
1st place - Gazal Grewal
2nd place - Charlie Gray
3rd place - Katie Martin
- 2005 Senior
1st place - Jeffrey Baer
2nd place - Kiruthiha Vimalakanthan
3rd place - David Sheps
- 2006 Junior:
1st place - Katie Martin
2nd place - Jill O'Craven
3rd place - Kim Tran Nguyen
- 2006 Senior:
1st place - Leslie Newcombe
2nd place - Angus Benderavage
3rd place - Sarah Bowers
- 2007 Primary:
1st place - David Chan
2nd place - Laura Newcombe
3rd place - Veronica Penny
- 2007 Junior:
1st place - Katie Martin
2nd place - Zuhaer Anzum Zim
3rd place - Maleika Jeewanjee
- 2007 Intermediate:
1st place - Umayangga Yogalingam
2nd place - Donald Bowins
3rd place - Merany Ganesan
- 2008 Intermediate:
1st Place - Caitlin McLaren
2nd place - Alexander Newcombe
3rd place - Jessica Zung
- 2009 Intermediate:
1st Place - Jessica Zung
2nd Place - Alexander Newcombe
3rd Place - Ibrahim Tahir
- 2009 Junior
1st Place - Daniela Kistemaker
2nd Place - Janahan Selvanayagam
3rd Place - Veronica Penny
- 2009 Primary
1st Place - Zakhar Husak
2nd Place - Zhongtian (Niuniu) Wang
3rd Place - Neharika Nair
- 2010 Junior
1st Place - Veronica Penny
2nd Place - Anna Lawrence
3rd Place - Laura Newcombe
- 2011 Intermediate
1st Place Veronica Penny
2nd Place Emma McLaren
3rd Place Laura Newcombe
Note
Only the official Canspell National Spelling BeeCanSpell National Spelling Bee
The Postmedia Canspell National Spelling Bee, formerly called the Canwest Canspell National Spelling Bee, is a spelling bee held annually in Canada since 2005. The bee is affiliated with the United States-based Scripps National Spelling Bee and uses similar rules and word lists, adapted to best...
is affiliated with the US-based Scripps National Spelling Bee
Scripps National Spelling Bee
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a highly competitive annual spelling bee in the United States, with participants from other countries as well. It is run on a not-for-profit basis by The E. W...
. SBOC winners must compete in the Canspell National Spelling Bee
CanSpell National Spelling Bee
The Postmedia Canspell National Spelling Bee, formerly called the Canwest Canspell National Spelling Bee, is a spelling bee held annually in Canada since 2005. The bee is affiliated with the United States-based Scripps National Spelling Bee and uses similar rules and word lists, adapted to best...
in order to qualify for the penultimate Scripps
Scripps National Spelling Bee
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a highly competitive annual spelling bee in the United States, with participants from other countries as well. It is run on a not-for-profit basis by The E. W...
bee, as the SBOC is an unsanctioned regional event, and not affiliated with either bee.